Magic Trials
by MewLuna
Summary: Saving princesses has always been part of Finn and Jake's job. So what happens when Marceline gets captured? Can they save her? Or is she the ones who needs to save them? And what chaos will come if Magic Man is involved? R&R!
1. Chapter 1

**Magic Trials: By Luna Mrow**

**Summary: **Saving princesses has always been part of Finn and Jake's job. So what happens when Marceline gets captured? Can they save her? Or is she the ones who needs to save them?

**Chapter One:**

"Thanks again guys, you two saved me from that lumpin' idiot," Lumpy Space said, giving a quick hug to the two heroes Finn and Jake.

After receiving a very lumpy hug, Finn smiled and replied, "You're welcome LSP. No one should be forced to be married, especially to that nerd the Ice King."

"And I heard that he never wears underwear," Jake snickered.

"Where'd you hear that man?" Finn asked.

"From his pet penguin Gunter, when we play Wednesday night poker games."

The twelve year old boy shrugged. "Oh. I didn't know that."

Jake grinned. "That's because you're always hanging out with your true love _Marceline_."

"OOH!" Lumpy Space Princess awed, "Wait till I tell Bubblegum that you're hanging out with a vampire queen. She won't be happy to hear that. I can smell the DRAMA!"

"No! It's not what you think!" Finn exclaimed. "Look, Marceline and I are just friends, okay? She may appear to be intimidating, scary, mean, hardcore, and vicious, but really she's… uh… well… she's all those things BUT she's also really cool to hang out with. You've just got to get past her rough exterior."

"Still texting PB," Lumpy Space Princess smirked.

"No!" Finn exclaimed.

"Think Bubblegum will be jealous?" Jake grinned, "That's a good sign if she is."

"Why would it be a good sign?" Finn asked.

"Because man, you've got a thing for Princess Bubblegum!" Jake exclaimed, waving his golden paws in the air.

"Oh I get it, we've got a total love triangle going on," Lumpy Space Princess said, "Marceline loves you, and you love PB. This is just like a plot twist on season 4 of my soap opera 'Lumps of our Lives'."

"That is not what's happening!" Finn exclaimed.

"Wait, I know what season you're talking about!" Jake replied. "Or maybe this is season 3 when Francesco admits to Geneva he loves her, and then tells her twin sister Kayla the same thing! He couldn't make up his mind on which twin he wanted to be with."

"Oh my lumpin' god, I was in hysterics for weeks when Francesco found out Veronica was a vampire. I was like, 'oh no lumpin' way!' and blogged about it to my fan club."

"Fan club? I didn't know there was a fan club! Where can I sign up?" Jake asked.

"Enough!" Finn exclaimed. "Look, my life is nothing like 'Lumps of our Lives'. I don't love Marceline or Bubblegum; they're just really close friends of mine."

"That's not what I'm texting," Lumpy Space Princess said. She took out her phone and started pushing buttons.

"No!" Finn cried.

Before LSP pressed send, she got a phone call and quickly answered it. "Hello? Melissa? Oh hey. Not much, I just got rescued from Finn and Jake when Ice King captured me. Ya, Finn is standing right next to me. What do you mean you're single? WHAT? BRAD BROKE UP WITH YOU?"

"Dude," Jake whispered, "We better go before-"

"What do you mean you want to date Finn? He's already in a love triangle; a rectangle is the last thing he needs!"

"I don't want to date Melissa!" Finn shrieked.

"Yeah! My brother will not be her rebound guy!" Jake added.

"Oh hold on Melissa," LSP said, "Would you two mind going? This is a lumpin' private conversation."

"Let's go," Finn agreed, and he hopped on Jake's back. Enlarging his size, Jake stepped through the portal between the Land of Ooo and Lumpy Space, and in a matter of seconds the two were back in front of their tree house. "I'm going to bed," Finn grumbled as he unlocked the front door of his house and stepped inside.

"Care if I invite Lady Rainicorn over for some leftover pasta?" Jake asked.

"Sure man," Finn answered.

"Thanks dude." Jake left the living room to go call his girlfriend.

Finn sat down on his bed and crossed his arms. "I'm just twelve years old! I'm too young for relationships!" he exclaimed to himself. Though Finn never stopped thinking about how nice it'd be to kiss a princess. He even had that bookmarked in the Enchiridion he and Jake snagged. Finn always pictured kissing Princess Bubblegum like kissing candy, since she was ruler of the candy kingdom. But what about Marceline? What would she taste like? Blood? Though she rarely drinks it, so would she taste like… red? "What does red even taste like?" Finn asked himself.

"Rainicorn! Ready for some pasta babe?" Finn heard Jake ask.

"Always am," Lady Rainicorn giggled, leaning in to give Jake a quick smooch.

But before she did Finn came in, and Jake pulled away. "Not in front of the boy," he whispered.

"Say Lady, can you do me a favor?" Finn asked.

"Of course Finn," Lady Rainicorn smiled.

"Can you turn this sheet of paper red?" Finn asked, holding up a blank white paper.

"Certainly." Lady Rainicorn tipped her head and out from her horn flashed a quick rainbow light, and magically the paper turned red. "There you go," she smiled. "Now let's get eating Jakey."

"Want some Finn?" Jake asked. There was no answer, because Finn had already run out of the front door of the tree house, and was safely in the garage where no one could see or hear him.

After looking around him the sixth time, Finn sat in the corner of the garage, and gave a quick kiss to the red paper. "Red doesn't taste like anything," he said dryly. Then Finn's eyes widened and he threw the paper down. "Why do I care anyway? It's not like I'm going to ki- oh no! Marceline!"

Quickly Finn ran back through the front door, where he saw Jake, Lady Rainicorn, Gunter, and a few ducks playing poker. "Hey dude. I invited over a few more people," Jake said.

"Wat wat wat!" Gunter exclaimed.

"Darn it, you win the lot again," Jake sighed, passing his money to the plump penguin.

"Dude what day is it?" Finn exclaimed.

"Wednesday, why?"

"Oh man! I'm late for my jam session with Marceline!" Finn exclaimed. "I'll see you later tonight bro!"

"Alright later brother," Jake replied. "Anyone got change for a hundred?"

Quickly Finn ran out of his house and headed towards the cave Marceline inhabited. In twenty minutes flat he was inside the cave, and then came to the house that had an unlocked front door. "Sorry Marceline, lost track of time," Finn said as he opened the door and entered into the vampire queen's domain.

There was no reply, and when Finn looked up he screamed, a scream that could only be conjured up by a stressed out twelve year old. And he screamed because all of the windows were smashed, the furniture was cut up and destroyed, and sitting by the light of a candle was Marceline's Axe Bass, with a neatly folded envelope perched on top. Slowly Finn walked towards the guitar, and picked up the envelope… only to be in shock even more. It read:

_Dear Finn,_

_It's been a long time since we last met. The time has come for you to pass another test, young hero aspiring Finn, and this one will be your hardest yet. I have captured your friend Marceline, and I'm waiting for you and Jake to come save her. I'm waiting for you to prove just how heroic you can be. Marceline is waiting too. We'll see you soon. _

_Regards,_

_Magic Man _

**Author's Note:**

Well this is chapter one of what hopefully is a good fic. I love Adventure Time so much, and after Adventure Time with Finn, Jake and Marceline turned out to be a good fic, I decided to have a go at a second one! Please review (they mean a lot) and thank you for reading :D

MATHEMATICAL!


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter Two: **

Finn ran as fast as his twelve year old legs could carry him. He ran out of Marceline's cave, swam in the frigid waters the crossed over to the Ice Kingdom, dodged hostel lightning bolts from the Ice King, ran through a meadow, tripped over a daisy, cursed at the daisy, made the daisy cry, apologized to the daisy, and then finally made it to his tree house. After all this exercise Finn literally crashed through the front door with an exasperated, "JAKE!"

"Hey dude, how's it going?" Jake replied, not taking notice to Finn's current tired state. All his party guests went home after Gunter won the jackpot.

"Jake! Okay you're never going to believe the juice I'm about to spill to you!" Finn cried, "When I went to Marceline's house I found a- WHAT IS THAT?"

The magical shape shifting dog looked to what Finn pointed at, and it was a plump purplish-red vegetable cradled in his arms like a baby. "This is a turnip," Jake explained. "It's a vegetable."

"Why are you holding it like that?"

"Because it's a baby turnip, duh dude." Jake rocked the vegetable back and forth. "Now, what were you going to tell me?"

"Oh. Right. MARCELINE HAS BEEN CAPTURED!"

"Hmm that's nice."

"Nice? _Nice? _Dude! This isn't like when Hot Dog Princess or Slime Princess gets captured! This is some all new cheese! Marceline is a _vampire _and she's a _queen._ There's a huge diff man! And the news gets worse, she got captured by _Magic Man_." Finn hushed his voice when he uttered the name that turned him into a freak.

"Think Magic Man will make me look like a foot?" Jake mused.

"Dude! Not the issue here!"

"Alright brother, alright. How did you know Magic Man took Marceline? Are you sure it wasn't her nut job father, past victims, ex boyfriends?"

Finn gasped. "You think she has evil ex boyfriends?" He took a fist and pounded his head. "No! I don't care about if she did or not! Here Jake, Magic Man left this letter on top of Marceline's Axe Bass."

Jake took the note and read over it carefully. "Wow, Magic Man has some really nice hand writing."

"Jake!"

"I'm serious dude! Did you see how he dots his I's? It's a work of art." Finn gave the dog a quick look. "Right. Not the issue here. Well it looks like the first order in business is to find out where he captured her."

Finn nodded in agreement. "Right. Well I'm willing to bet that wherever it is it's dark, because of Marceline's illness to sunlight."

"I have nothing to bet dude I lost it all to Gunter," Jake sighed. "Well alright let me tuck this turnip in for bed and we'll start our search."

"Jake?"

"Finn?"

"You know what time it is?"

"Always do."

The two adventures lifted their arms in the air! "**Adventure Time!**"

_Somewhere off in an undisclosed area of Ooo…_

Click clack. Click clack. Click clack. This noise was continuous as the pale skinned beauty tapped her long fingernails against the window, as she looked out into the night. Her long raven black hair was tied back in a messy rocker pony tail, and she wore a black tank top, streaked blue jeans, and her black rocker boots. She was Marceline the Vampire Queen, and although she appeared to be seventeen, she has been around a long time, earning her the title of being a 'radical dame'. She turned her head and her hair fell back, revealing the two bite marks planted on the side of her neck. "Back already?" she asked nonchalantly at the presence at the door.

With a smile, the stranger flicked on the lights and he revealed to be Magic Man. No one knows what age he really is, due to his oddly green colored skin, but if the Vampire Queen had to make a guess she'd say he looked twenty. The strange magic doer smiled, and set the paper bags he was holding on a wooden dining table. He was dressed in an odd colored yellow outfit that was torn at the end, revealing a no longer pudgy, but slim stomach. He wore a pouch on his right leg, and differently colored boots, with a matching yellow hat on his head. While he was dressed colorful Marceline preferred to dress darkly, and she cringed at the sudden brightness when he walked through the door.

"Why hello Marceline," Magic Man greeted. "Have you been good while I've been gone?"

"Hardly," Marceline sneered. "I found your remote and ordered movies on demand, so you'll have to pay a pretty high price next time you get your cable bill."

Magic Man just laughed. "What if I _knew _you would find my remote, and already ordered the movies before you had a chance?"

"And how would you know?" the vampire challenged.

"Because I'm _magic_."

"Big whoop."

"It is a big whoop, especially to those I teach my magic lessons too." Marceline rummaged through his paper bag of groceries and found herself a plump strawberry, which she drank the color out of. "I also got some pomegranates," Magic Man said. "They were on sale."

"That's great," Marceline replied sarcastically, throwing down the now gray colored strawberry. "So, how's your little plan coming? Finn and Jake coming to rescue me?"

"In time they will," Magic Man laughed. "First they have to figure out where I captured you."

The Vampire Queen's eyes narrowed at that word. _Captured. _She was not a damsel in distress. She was the damsel who _caused _distress. That was something her and Magic Man had in common; they liked to play games, they liked to tease the weak. "Do you think they'll find me?" she asked.

"Hmm… maybe. Depends if our little hero Finn can figure out the clue I left him."

"What clue?"

"Oh you'll see. It was left on the letter, but could only be seen in the dark. I've spilled too much already. Now, would you like to play a game of Uno Cards?"

"You're magic, you'll end up cheating," Marceline snapped. She then laughed. "Then again, so will I." And she sat down at the table as he went to get the cards.

_Back with our mathematical heroes…_

"Jake, I just wanted to tell you that I really appreciate you helping me. I know you're afraid of Marceline in all, and that she scares you to death, but I'm glad you're with me. And you're not alone, because to be honest I'm kind of scared of Magic Man. But with the two of us, we'll get Marceline back and everything will be like butter on a biscuit," Finn smiled.

…

"Jake?"

…

"Jake? Jake!"

"Huh? What? What'd you say man?" Jake asked, opening his eyes and yawning. "Sorry bro, I was asleep."

"How can you sleep at a time like this?"

"Well I'm really comfortable," Jake grinned. He and Finn were on their way back to Marceline's cave to look for clues, and Jake had made himself small enough to sit on top of Finn's head.

"That's it, I'm revoking your awesome hat privileges," Finn grumbled, flicking Jake off his awesome hat.

"Whatever, you're lucky we've arrived," Jake replied. The two stepped inside Marceline's house. "Whoa dude, this is messed up."

"I know. But how can you see in here it's dark and the lights are killed."

"No dude, not that it's your butt! It's glowing bright green!"

"WHAT!"

"Yeah! Your butt is glowing!"

Finn turned around and saw it wasn't actually his butt glowing (thank gumdrops) but it was the letter from Magic Man in his back pocket. He took out the letter and opened it. "Whoa! Jake! Look, it's a map!" Finn exclaimed.

"A map to Marceline," Jake said in awe. "Think it's a trap? Magic Man is notorious for traps."

"It's all we've got. We've got to follow it."

"Fine. But can we drop by that donut shop on the way?"

"What donut shop?"

"The one on the map!"

"Oh. Yeah I guess."

"Full circle."

**Author's Note:**

There was chapter two my mathematical readers :D Thank you for the reviews, I really appreciate them! Promise to update soon!


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter Three:**

Our two adventurers made their way through the dark and windy brick path that matched the one on the map left by Magic Man. It was a dark night, and the only thing that gave Finn and Jake the light to see was the silvery luminous glow of the full moon, and the eerie neon green glow emitting from the map Finn was holding. This was a new feeling for the two, for they weren't familiar with where they were headed to, and they didn't know what to expect. This wasn't like saving Princess Bubblegum from the Ice King, because the two had done that before and knew what to expect.

That was the peculiar thing about magic; no one knew what to expect. Finn and Jake didn't know what to expect. But Finn knew one thing, and that was that he had to save his friend Marceline. And Jake knew one thing, and that was that the jelly donut he was eating was really delicious. "Mhm this jelly donut is really delicious," Jake said, as he finished off his pastry. "How come you didn't order anything?"

"Because I can't eat when I'm anxious man," Finn answered. "Anxiety throws my digestive system out of whack."

"You know what we should do? Think of a strategy," Jake suggested.

"I'm listening."

"Okay, so when we come face to face with Magic Man, I'll distract him with my awesome magic trick and you grab Marceline."

Finn raised a brow. "You'll distract _Magic Man _with a _magic trick_? Dude, doesn't he know all of the magic tricks out there?"

"Well jeez Finn, I don't want to be the one to grab Marceline! She still gives me the creeps." Jake put a paw on his nose and scratched while thinking of another plan. "Alright, I've got another plan. While you grab Marceline, I'll distract Magic Man and challenge him to a break dance fight."

"Do you know how to break dance?" Finn asked.

"Dude, I invented break dancing," Jake answered, sounding completely serious. "Magic Man won't stand a chance against my break, pops, and locks."

Finn laughed. "Dude I have no idea what that means."

"It means I'm awesome," Jake grinned. "With a belly full of jelly- DONUTS."

"How close are we until our destination Finn?"

"Uh… according to this map about five miles."

"Rah that's five miles too many."

"See what jelly donuts do man? They make you sluggish. You should've had celery sticks from my backpack when I offered them to you."

"Vegetables are lame."

"You were cradling a baby turnip in your arms before we left the tree house!"

"How much closer now Finn?"

"One mile."

"I don't think I can make it."

"Dude, be strong, we can make it."

"No dude! I really don't think I can make it! I think I need to sit down a minute or twenty."

"Fine, one minute and then we have to continue." The two adventurers stopped walking through the high green field grass, and Jake plopped down on his stomach. A minute passed and Finn said, "Okay dude, time to get a move on."

"Nineteen more minutes," Jake mumbled. Finn took his foot and playfully kicked the dog in the butt. "Alright fine," Jake grumbled, getting back up. "But you owe me big time."

"No, actually we're even, because you owed me from that dolphin that kept stalking you," Finn pointed out.

"Oh yeah, that was one whacko dolphin." The two resumed walking, and before long they came up on a dark blue mushroom shaped house.

"This is it," Finn confirmed. "This is the house on the map. Should I knock on it, or do you want to do it?"

"We'll do it together… as brothers."

"Ya… okay Jake." The two stepped up on the wooden front porch and knocked on the slimy front door. They both wondered why the front door was slimy, but where in too much anticipation to ask each other. The front door opened, just ever so slightly, and Finn could feel his heart pound higher and louder. After another agonizing minute, the door creaked open slowly, and Finn's heartbeat got louder and louder. "M-Marceline?"

In the darkness of the house there was suddenly a pearly white grin, attached to a face that was too dark to be seen. "Guess agaaaaaiiiiinnnnn."

"Magic Man!" Finn and Jake exclaimed at the same time. "AH!" The floor beneath the two broke, and they fell down and disappeared into the darkness of the unknown! Quick whips of the wind met their faces, as they slid down a slide, though the two weren't sure if it _was _a slide, because it was so dark they couldn't see anything!

Finally the sliding and the falling stopped, and Finn and Jake fell down on something cold and hard. Slowly Jake opened his eyes, and he saw a flickering light, an orange flame. He didn't know where he was, but he had to get him and Finn to that light. "Come on Finn," Jake gestured, grabbing Finn's arm and dragging him towards the flickering candle.

"Ah Jake… I landed on my butt," Finn moaned. "That hurt."

"I landed on my romp as well," Jake replied, "Except I have cheeks of steal."

"That's just gross," said a new voice.

Jake looked up and saw a face that was visible by the candle, and he screamed out of pure terror! Finn on the other hand, squealed, out of pure delight. They both screamed and squealed the same thing though, "MARCELINE!"

**Author's Note: **

There is chapter three =3 Thank you for reading and please review. And thank you for my past reviews as well it made my day rhombus!


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter Four:**

"Marceline!" Finn exclaimed. He literally leaped over the flickering candle and happily into the Vampire Queen's arms, knocking them both to the ground.

"Ah! Finn!"Marceline yelled, "You are such a dork!"

"A dork who thought we were in trouble!" Finn replied, "Are you okay? Did Magic Man hurt you? Did he turn you into a disgusting body part? Did he make you feel uncomfortable? Did he feed you something-"

"FINN! I'm alright. Seriously dude, get off of me, I don't want your twelve year old germs all over my new pair of jeans."

Jake stretched his long arms and grabbed Finn's shoulders, bringing him back a few feet to where he was standing. Marceline stood up to her full height and glowered at the two. She smirked. "Glad you brought Jake. I was starting to get… hungry." Her fangs popped out further as she said the word 'hungry'.

"Dude! She's making me uncomfortable!" Jake cowered.

"No eating my brother," Finn confirmed, even though he knew quite well Marceline was just messing with them. "But if you're hungry I have some celery sticks in my backpack."

"Gross, vegetables? If I really were starving I'd go ahead and eat Jake," Marceline scoffed.

"I would too," Jake agreed.

"Oh come ON! Vegetables are not THAT bad!" Finn cried. "You know what? Not the issue here. Marceline, you've got to tell us what's going on here!"

"I'm afraid I can't tell you much Finn."

"Can't, or won't?"

The vampire narrowed her eyes. "_Maybe_ a little bit of _both_." She crossed her arms stubbornly. "And anyway, I'm a little offended with you two."

"About what?" Finn asked, clearly confused by this. Never once had Princess Bubblegum been ungrateful about him and Jake saving her. She was always thanking them, and gave them free candy. The candy was free anyway, but that wasn't the point.

"Did you really think I needed to be saved?" Marceline asked. "You really think I can't save myself?"

"Hey when we went to your house everything was dark, your furniture was ripped up, everything was messy and Finn's butt was GLOWING. We thought you needed help!" Jake exclaimed. Marceline gave him a hard glare, making Jake take a small step back in fear.

"I'm sure you can save yourself," Finn answered, "But I wanted to help because well… I wanted you back safe where you were. I didn't want to worry about you being in danger and cheese like that."

"CHEESE," Jake emphasized.

Marceline crossed her arms. "Well you coming here was what Magic Man wanted all along."

"Oh I get it, you were the bait," Jake said.

"I AM NOT THE BAIT!" Marceline hissed, purposely contorting her face in a horrific manner.

"Not the bait! Not the bait!" Jake whimpered.

"Why did Magic Man want us?" Finn asked.

"Not us, you Finn. You're the one he wants."

Finn's eyes widened. "But why?"

"Yes Finn the Human! Why? Why you? Why would someone as mystical and as magical as I want _you_?" a new voice asked. Into the mysterious room walked Magic Man, and he clapped his hands together to make more candles illuminate, making the whole room visible. Finn and Jake took immediate notice to Magic Man's changed appearance. He lost weight. Good for him. "Do you remember the first lesson I taught you?" Magic Man asked, a smile playing on his lips.

"Yeah, not to give my sugar cubes to jerks!" Finn hissed, "And not to help jerks like you!"

"Precisely," Magic Man smiled. "And that's what all of this is, a lesson, a learning experience, a _trial_. Magic Trials. If you and your golden companion Jake can complete these trials, both of you and the vampire can leave here safely."

"Why are you doing this dude?" Jake barked. "What's the point?"

"Finn is an aspiring hero, is he not?" Magic Man then asked. He smiled deviously. "Well he can prove his heroism. He can either finish these trials a champion, or perish as a loser."

"What's in it for you?" Jake questioned.

"Entertainment purposes. All my shows had their season finales, I have three months to kill until they come back. But don't worry, these trials won't last three months, goodness no, I still have lessons to teach to the wimps of Ooo." Magic Man laughed. "What do you say Finn the Human? Do you accept these trials?"

"What if I don't?" Finn asked.

"There was a reason I captured Marceline." Magic Man then snapped his fingers and Marceline disappeared from where she was standing and suddenly popped up next to him, where he slung an arm around her shoulder and pulled her dangerously close to him. "Must I make my point any further?"

Clutching his hands into fists, Finn turned to Jake. His best friend nodded, as if to say, 'we can do this'. The boy then turned to Marceline, and she eyed him as if to say, 'let's rock!' and finally he looked inside himself. He looked inside his soul. And his soul told him to do what his head said. And his head said to listen to his heart. And his heart told him he had poor cholesterol… and to do the trials. So listening to his heart, Finn answered in a dramatic deep voice, "I accept Magic Man. I will prove to you the hero I can be."

"Excellent," Magic Man grinned. "Let's get started then, shall we?"

**Author's Note: **

REVIEW! And thank you for all the algebraic reviews, they mean a lot ;D Thank you for reading! Seriously, please review.


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter Five:**

"Booty booty shake, booty booty shake. Shaking my booty!"

"Will you tell your dog to shut up?" Marceline asked Finn.

"He's not my dog, he's my friend," Finn corrected.

"Well he's going to be dinner unless he shuts it," vowed the Vampire Queen. The look in her onyx black eyes told the twelve year old she was serious.

"Yeah Jake, can you stop singing?" Finn asked meekly.

"Whatever man, I'm just trying to write lyrics for my new violin song," Jake replied. "It's too bad I didn't bring my violin with me. Playing some tunes would break the awkward silences that are bound to come."

"I'm supposed to be stretching and preparing myself for my first trial," Finn stated. Magic Man allowed Finn ten minutes before his trial. Marceline and Jake were allowed to be with him, and they were still in an unknown location, in an unknown room, lit by scentless candles. Much to Jake's disappointment because he loved scented candles ever since Lady Rainicorn bought him one for Christmas.

"Okay dude, since I'm an extra stretchy dog I'll show you how to stretch Jake style," the dog grinned. First touch your toes." Finn nodded and did as his friend said. "Excellent, now touch your head to your toes."

"What? I can't do that!" Finn exclaimed.

"Do it!" Jake barked.

Finn tried his absolute hardest, but couldn't even get his head to touch his knee. "Got anything easier man?"

"Yeah, now stretch your head to your butt," Jake instructed. He did this as a demonstration, easily flipping backwards and putting the top of his head on his romp.

"Uh… Alright I'll try man." Finn tried his best to twist back and put his head on his butt, but instead lost his balance and fell over on his back.

"Wow you two really are weenies," Marceline commented, getting entertainment from watching the two.

"We are not weenies!" Finn exclaimed. He stood back up on his feet. "What do you think my first trial will be like?"

"Probably be something stupid," Marceline replied. "Like jumping into shark infested waters, leaping over fire pits, swimming in volcanoes, something lame like that."

"That's not lame! That's life threatening!" Jake exclaimed.

"Hmm. I guess for someone who's already dead it seems pretty bleak." She shrugged.

"Okay Finn the Human, are you ready?" Magic Man then asked, appearing out of nowhere in purple smoke. "My oh my do I have a challenge for you?"

"Chasing his own tail?" Jake suddenly asked. "Cause I've been trying to do that for years!"

Magic Man just laughed, and snapped his fingers. Suddenly the four were out of their current location, and appeared to be in a forest that Finn didn't recognize. He looked around for any obstacles, but saw none. "What am I doing?" he asked curiously.

"First we will test your skills of finding things," Magic Man answered. "You've heard of finding a needle in a haystack, haven't you?"

"Who hasn't its so cliché," Marceline commented. Magic Man snapped his fingers and there was tape that suddenly latched itself on her mouth. "Mhm!" Marceline exclaimed, hissing through the tape.

"Hey!" Finn yelled, "Take that off of her."

"Not so fast," Magic Man replied. He put a hand on Marceline's shoulder and whispered something in her ear that neither Finn nor Jake could hear. Finally he stopped whispering and Marceline sighed, and crossed her arms with an annoyed expression on her face. "She's fine," Magic Man assured. "Now, are you ready Finn the Human?"

"Yeah, but what am I doing?" Finn asked in confusion.

Magic Man then clapped his hands together, and a gigantic haystack and a pile of needles appeared. "You will go inside the haystack and-"

"Try and find the needles?" Jake asked, interrupting.

There was a roaring laughter from Magic Man. "No silly dog. The needles are going to find _him_."

"But you said we're testing my skill of finding things!" Finn exclaimed.

"Exactly, you'll be finding an escape."

"An escape from the haystack?"

Magic Man laughed. "You'll find out what I mean." He then reached into the bag of dust that was attached to his left leg and threw a pinch of the needles. There was a rumbling shake, and suddenly three of the needles grew to be eight feet high, fat, and even pointier than ever. Looking closer, Finn noticed eyes on them, and realized Magic Man had brought them to life.

Suddenly there was a cold hand on Finn's shoulder, and he looked up to see Marceline, who still had tape over her mouth. "Mhm," she said through the tape.

"Are you wishing me luck?" Finn smiled hopefully. _Maybe she does care_.

"Mhm."

"Well thanks Marceline. I'll do my best," Finn replied. Magic Man clapped his hands and Finn disappeared from where he was standing and went inside the haystack. All the pointy hay ends poked at him, but Finn ignored them and looked around the haystack to try and find an exit. It was strange, it was like Finn was inside a room made all around of hay, and that it was a labyrinth, even though from the outside it looked like a normal haystack. _Magic trickery_, he figured. Slowly the adventurer explored the hay filled paths, cautiously aware of his surroundings.

However as he kept walking he soon heard _click clack, click clack _sound that was coming closer and closer to him. "The needles!" Finn exclaimed silently to himself. He tried to hide inside the hay walls but they wouldn't budge. The sounds got closer and closer, and Finn found himself face to face with one of the needles. The boy stood there awkwardly. "Uh… hi there."

"HISS!" the needle replied, and started running towards Finn at full speed!

"AH!" Finn cried, running away from the needle. "You don't have to do this! We can be friends!"

"I'm going to poke your eyes out!" the needle threatened.

"No need to be unpleasant!" Finn cried back. He made a desperate run left, and took random twists and turns in the labyrinth to try to and lose the crazy needle. However this was no avail, for the needle was able to keep up with him. Who knew needles had great endurance? Now the boy was getting desperate. His legs were growing tired, and a muscle felt tweaked thanks to Jake's butt to the head idea. He had to think fast! Finn skidded to a stop and faced the needle. "You don't want to hurt me!" he exclaimed.

"Yes I do!" the needle hissed. "I want to cut you up then sow you back together!"

"What good would that do?" Finn questioned.

"I'm a needle! My only highlight in life is sowing things back together!"

Finn sighed. There was no agreeing with this evil needle. He took out his sword from his backpack. "Then I challenge you to a duel…" he spoke heroically. But then from the corner of his eye Finn saw the exit. He saw an escape…

**Outside the haystack labyrinth…**

_This is so lame, _Marceline thought. She looked to her left and saw Magic Man was waiting patiently to see Finn's outcome, and looked to her right to see Jake chasing his tail, an act he had been trying to succeed for twenty-eight dog years. The Vampire Queen sighed. She would much rather be in the action with Finn then out here with those two weenies. Suddenly an idea popped into her head, and she silently transformed into a bat, making the tape fall off her mouth because it was too big. _I'm coming Finn._

Clank!

Finn was now invested in a duel with the needle. The two were clashing swords (though the needle decided to use its own body as a weapon) and Finn desperately tried to get closer and closer to the exit. But every time he'd get closer, he'd have to jump back from almost getting his head cut off from the needle's sharp end point.

Marceline then appeared, and transformed out of her bat form and back into her human looking self. "You're wasting time with a needle?" she demanded.

"He's pointy!" Finn exclaimed as an explanation for himself, although it wasn't good enough for the vampire. She rolled her eyes and then put a bare hand on the needle's sharp pointed end. Finn watched in amazement as she snapped the needle in half, and then licked the red blood from her hand when she got a scratch. "Wow Marceline! Thank you!" Finn exclaimed.

"It's no big deal you weenie- Hey!" Finn had jumped and hugged Marceline again, making them both fall to the floor. "How many times are you going to get all hug happy with me?" Marceline demanded.

"As many times as I feel like it," Finn smiled. He then remembered the exit. "Come on Marceline, follow me!" He grabbed her porcelain hand and pulled her to the exit door, where they both entered together. There was a bright flash of light, and Marceline and Finn ended up right outside where Magic Man and Jake were.

"Dude! I'm glad you're back, I've almost got my tail!" Jake exclaimed.

"It looks like you passed your first test," Magic Man said, not taking notice to the fact Marceline was no longer tape mouthed. "Well I shall allow you three one hour and then you shall complete your second trial."

"Hold up Magic Man! I got cheese with you!" Finn exclaimed.

"You mean beef?" Marceline asked.

"BEEF!" Jake barked happily.

Magic Man grinned. "Too bad young hero." And then he disappeared, leaving the three alone.

**Author's Note: **

I hope you liked this chapter. Thank you for all the past reviews as well :D And I know I keep leaving cliff hangers, but I figure as long as I update within a couple days and not wait a week that it's okay. Promise to update soon. Please review, and thank you so much for reading! Algebraic! ;3


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter Six:**

**Author's Note: **I hope everyone had a rockin' Halloween! I know I did :D Well I'm going to be honest, only getting one review after posting chapter five got me down. But don't worry, I'm not one of those authors that refuse to update until they get so many reviews. That's a bit forceful in my opinion. I do hope you readers enjoy my story so far though. Well here's chapter six. New Adventure Time on tonight, hooray! ;3

**So commences the story…**

Magic Man had just disappeared, leaving Finn, Marceline and Jake alone in the forest he had brought them too. Finn was upset because he wanted to give Magic Man a piece of his mind for putting him through this. Marceline was upset because of a deal she cut with Magic Man. Jake was upset because he couldn't reach his tail when he chased it, and he was terribly hungry with nothing to eat (except the veggies in Finn's backpack, but he refused to make those an option).

"Well…" Finn began, breaking the silence that was upon the three.

"Well is a deep subject," Jake said kiddingly.

"You don't know how badly I want to give Magic Man an atomic wedgie," Marceline huffed.

"I just want these trials to be over," Finn groaned. "Is there even a point to doing all of this?"

"Oh there's a point. But I'm not at liberty to tell."

"What does that mean Marceline?"

"Nothing Finn, nothing at all." With another sigh Marceline plopped down on the grass and made her hair block Finn and Jake's view of her face. Finn stared at her suspiciously for a few minutes, and then he decided something was up that she's not telling him. "You going to keep staring at me, or sit down and join me?" the Vampire Queen then asked with a certain poison dripping from her words. The twelve year old was not taken aback by this however, and plopped down beside her; however Jake cowered a few feet away just to be safe.

"Well we've got a little less than an hour to kill, what do you suggest we do?" Finn asked, hoping to lighten up the atmosphere.

"We can try and find a way out of here," Jake suggested. "Think about it dude, Magic Man isn't here, we have Marceline, we can try and escape here." Jake inched closer to Finn, however was still wary of the vampire. "I've got an idea," he began, "We trap Magic Man in a box, and then we escape out of here with his wallet."

Marceline rolled her eyes. "Whoa what a genius idea Jake and maybe we can use the money in his wallet and buy ice cream and candy."

"Yeah that's a great idea! Because let me tell you, I'm starving right now and- hey wait a minute!" Jake barked. He thought for one quick second. "We don't need to buy candy Bubblegum will give it to us for free!"

Marceline smacked her palm to her head. Finn laughed. "She means the plan won't work dude."

"Why not?" Jake asked. "I think it'll work."

"Because Magic Man is capable of escaping a box," Marceline then explained.

"You're right… we should throw a tiger in the box with him! The tiger will tear him to shreds and we'll still get his wallet."

"Okay weenie; let me explain this in such a way your little dog mind will understand. Magic cannot be underestimated. It's not something a box or a tiger can stop. If we want to escape Magic Man, we'll have to do it when his guard is down," Marceline told the two adventurers.

"Wait… that's not what should be done," Finn then said dramatically. Inside Finn's heart he knew something was wrong. Was it the fact that he chugged down that burrito in his pocket too fast and he was having heartburn from it? No. It was integrity. Finn made a deal that he would complete the trials, and to go against his word and try to break the deal was not honorable. Ugh. This was part of the hero business he guessed. "I'm keeping to my word," Finn then stated, "I'm finishing the trials."

"Why?" Marceline asked.

The boy shrugged. "I gave my word."

"TIME FOR YOUR SECOND TRIAL!" a voice that the three knew all too well proclaimed loudly. Magic Man appeared in a puff of green smoke. "Are you ready Finn the Human?"

"It hasn't been an hour!" Jake exclaimed.

"No. But it is time for lunch." Magic Man laughed. "And my oh my, I am starving."

"So am I," Jake agreed.

"Hush dog." Magic Man snapped his fingers and the four disappeared and reappeared inside a freshly cut field, that stretched on for miles. "Your second challenge is to prepare me lunch Finn."

"Cool. Where's the kitchen?" the boy asked casually.

"Silly human! You think the trial will be as easy as waltzing into a kitchen, making a sandwich, and then completing it?"

"Uh…" Finn stammered. "Maybe?"

"Well you are wrong young hero. You first must hunt for the ingredients of my lunch, then you must fight off those who guard the ingredients, put the ingredients together, and then serve me my food."

"What is he even making?" Marceline asked.

"A BLT," Magic Man replied. "As in a bacon, lettuce, and tomato sandwich."

"I _know_ what a BLT is," the vampire grumbled.

"Anyway, spread across this field is the ingredients to make the sandwich, and you have to fend off greedy pixies in order to get them. You have ten minutes to make me my sandwich. You may begin," Magic Man announced.

**(A/N When I say pixies, I mean the ones from the Enchiridion episode that kept destroying old ladies) **

"Hold the cheese! Magic Man! I demand assistance if I'm going to do this challenge!" Finn exclaimed.

"Fine. You're lucky I'm hungry."

"Yes! What do you say guys, will you help?" Finn asked.

"Anything for you bro," Jake cheered.

Marceline rolled her eyes. "Whatever."

"Nine more minutes," Magic Man taunted.

"Okay we've got to work fast! Everyone huddle up!" Finn exclaimed. The three huddled together. "So Marceline, you retrieve the bacon, Jake, you get the lettuce, and I'll get the tomato."

"Bacon is greasy," Marceline replied, "No way I'm getting that."

"I'll get it!" Jake exclaimed.

"Will you eat it?" Finn asked.

"Well… you know… maybe." Jake shifted uncomfortably.

"Okay, Marceline you get the lettuce, I'll get the bacon and you get the tomato Jake."

"Fair enough," Jake agreed.

"Whatever," Marceline said nonchalantly.

"Eight more minutes!" Magic Man announced.

"HURRY!" Finn exclaimed. The twelve year old then broke out into a fast run, searching desperately for any sign of bacon. He then saw a pile laid off on a rock, and a red evil pixie guarding it closely. Running up to the pixie, Finn said exasperatedly voice, "Please let me take the bacon!"

"My bacon!" the pixie hissed. "Get your own!"

"I don't have time!" Finn replied.

"Do you know how much time it took me to get this bacon? Not only did I have to raise the piggy from childhood, I had to-"

"LOOK OVER THERE!" Finn interrupted, pointing behind him.

Taking the bait, the pixie turned his head and Finn snatched the bacon. "THIEF!" the pixie howled, flying after Finn and shooting deathly rays from his fingertips. Finn ran faster and faster, and then suddenly a hand smacked the pixie, knocking him out cold.

It was Marceline, with a full head of lettuce in her arms. "Hurry up weenie!" she scolded.

"I'm trying!" Finn cried. Finally the three had the required ingredients, Marceline knocking out all the pixies. "Okay so we've got the bacon, lettuce and tomatoes, we're set!"

"Uh Finn you forgot something," Marceline pointed out."

"What?" the hero to be asked.

Jake gasped. _"We forgot the bread!"_ he shrieked.

"NOOOO!" Finn cried.

Marceline rolled her eyes. "Jeez calm down weenies, I've got the bread right here." She took out two slices of wheat bread.

"Hooray!" Finn cheered, hugging Marceline so hard the two fell over.

"How many times will you do that?"Marceline demanded.

"As many times as I can!" Finn squealed.

"ONE MINUTE!" Magic Man announced.

"We've got to put the sandwich together!" Jake cried. Marceline shoved Finn off of her, and carefully the three put the bacon, lettuce, and tomato on the bread. Then they delivered it to Magic Man. "Can I have a bite?" Jake asked.

"NO." Magic Man bit into his sandwich. "Congratulations Finn, you've successfully completed your second trial."

"YES!" Finn and Jake cheered. Marceline crossed her arms stubbornly.

"_However_," Magic Man then said with an intimidating tone to his voice, "Next time hold the mayo."

"We never put mayo!" Finn exclaimed.

There was awkwardness in the air.

**Author's Note:**

I really had fun writing this chapter. Which counts for a lot I suppose :D Please review. Means a lot. And thank you for reading! Merry Christmas! Lol just kidding.


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter Seven:**

**Quick Author's Note: **I would just like to say thank you to all who reviewed, and that I'm especially grateful for the constructive criticism I received :D Really, means a lot :3

**When we last left our heroes**, Magic Man had just eaten his sandwich and Finn completed his second trial with the help of Jake and Marceline. After the awkwardness left the air, Magic Man announced, "Would you like to rest for a little while or begin your third trial?"

"How about getting something to eat! I'm hungry!" Jake exclaimed.

"Uh, I'd rather get the third one over with," Finn answered truthfully.

"Yeah, the sooner we finish the sooner I can go raise an army of the undead," Marceline mumbled to herself, although Jake heard what she said, and took a step away from her.

"Very well," Magic Man replied, "Follow me." He turned around, and the three reluctant heroes followed him through the grassy field. Magic Man began to hum an odd sounding tune as they walked, much to Marceline's annoyance. Finally they reached where Magic Man led them, which was at a decent sized pond, with lots of green water lilies floating on top. There were also ducks and swans swimming atop, enjoying the sunshine as they swam.

"Why did you bring us here?" Marceline asked with a tone, "Everything is so happy and cheerful. It gives me a migraine."

"Oh hush up. This is where your third trial will take place Finn the Human, and it will test your fighting skills as well as your rescuing skills."

"I'm already great at that," Finn objected, "Not only can I kick butt, I can rescue princesses, and still keep _all this _adorable." He pointed to his face when he said adorable.

"Yeah man!" Jake encouraged, giving him a high five.

"You still haven't rescued me," Marceline huffed. "Not that I need it."

"Poop to you," Finn told her. "So Magic Man, what am I rescuing today? A princess?"

"No, your trial is to swim at the very bottom of the lake and retrieve this piece of popcorn."

"What piece of popcorn?"

Magic Man grinned. "This piece of popcorn." He held up a small popcorn kernel that had been popped. Then, he threw it into the pond, and despite being so light and fluffy, the popcorn started to sink, so Finn guessed Magic Man used magic for that to happen.

"Alright cool dude, that'll take no time flat," Jake said casually, lying down on the grass to relax.

"Do you seriously think that's all? There has GOT to be a catch to this," Marceline replied. "You thought getting a needle in a haystack was easy, until you found out the needles had to attack you, and you thought making a sandwich was easy, until you found out that they were guarded by angry pixies." She finished her sentence and blew a strand of hair out of her face. "So what makes you think that this is any different?"

"You certainly are observant Marceline," Magic Man said.

The Vampire Queen narrowed her eyes. "Someone who does a lot of tricks themselves tends to pick up on these things."

"Well whatever happens, I'm sure I'll succeed," Finn said confidently.

"What makes you so sure?" Marceline asked suspiciously.

"Have you seen this face?"

"That is a one of a kind face," Jake complimented.

"Oh whatever! But don't come crying to me when something bad happens!"

Finn made his voice deep and dramatic, "_I never cry_."

"You cry every time you po-"

"JAKE! Not now!" Finn exclaimed, dismissing the memories of his childhood that Jake almost brought up. The hero stepped closer to the edge of the pond. "Wish me luck."

"I wish I was in the Nightosphere over this," Marceline grumbled.

"Good luck dude," Jake said. "I'll jump in and help you if you need it."

"Yes Jake, you are permitted to help Finn if he needs it," Magic Man confirmed. Finn nodded, took in a huge breath of air, and dived inside the slightly chilly pond waters.

~X~X~X~

Finn hadn't been swimming ever since Jake helped him get over his fear of the ocean, but he felt alive as he swam down to the bottom of the pond floors. The pond wasn't terribly deep, and Finn started his search for the popcorn piece. He wasn't sure how long he could hold his breath, but he knew for sure he had a good minute or two, and then he would rocket to the surface for air. After fifteen seconds Finn began to realize a serious problem; the sand of the pond floors was the same white color as the popcorn piece. _This must have been the catch Marceline was referring to._

However that was not the catch at all. For while Finn had his back turned to the surface, he didn't notice the evil water sprite gathering around him, preparing to attack him for entering their pond. The sprites were little, perhaps the size of a bat, but their size didn't matter because there were so _many _of them. After another thirty seconds Finn decided he needed air, and turned towards the surface. There he saw the water sprites, and screamed in surprise, which wasn't smart because that let out his remaining air. Which meant he needed to get to the surface. _Now_.

Swimming like he never swam before, Finn maneuvered his way past the sprites, trying his best to kick and punch the ones that got in his way! Finally he poked his head out of the water with a giant, "AH!"

"How goes it dude?" Jake asked.

"Ah! Huh! Ah!" Finn continued to gasp, trying to get enough air.

Of course Jake didn't understand this. "Calm down bro," he chuckled. Then the water sprites took a hold of Finn's feet and dragged him underneath the water again. "He's really showing enthusiasm," Jake noted. Marceline rolled her eyes.

Back underneath the water, Finn started to fight the water sprites. He punched, kicked, and shoved them to get away from him, but they kept coming like bees for honey. The young hero then realized if he was going to retrieve the popcorn piece, someone was going to have to fight off these sprites. With a final shove, Finn once again stuck his head above the surface.

"Hey dude."

"JAKE!"Finn got dragged down again before he could get a proper breath or tell Jake to help him. He fought them off again, and then swam back up. "JAKE!"

"What?"

"Help me!"

"Kay." Jake jumped into the water and Marceline put her hands over her head thinking, _what have they gotten themselves into this time? _

It didn't take Jake long to figure out Finn wanted him to fight off the water sprites. As Jake began to enlarge his size, Finn resumed searching for the popcorn kettle. This wasn't as easy as before, because he knew that the longer it took him, the more Jake had to deal with the sprites. The twelve year old boy tried to hurry as fast as he could, and soon his eyes were starting to strain. He starting to demand the need of air, but he ignored the demands and kept searching.

While he did that, Jake was getting beat up the water sprites. He started out beating them up, but number proved to be better than strength, and combined with that lack of air, Jake was getting to punched up to swim to get air. He and Finn were both slowly losing their oxygen.

Finn was almost ready to give up, but then as that thought crossed his mind, he saw something in the sand that looked different. He stuck his hand deep in the sand, and pulled out a fistful, luck having it that the popcorn piece was inside. He clutched it closer to his hand, and with a boost of adrenaline, kicked off the sands of the pond to rocket to the surface. Finn saw that Jake was just as hopeless as he was, and used every bit of his energy to wrap an arm around Jake, kick away the sprites, and finally reached the surface.

The young hero felt cold arms go around his shoulders, and he and Jake get pulled out of the water before he went out of it.

Marceline sighed. Finn was knocked out like a light. She should've helped him. The vampire didn't spend much time scolding herself, because she had to save her friend. Placing a cold hand on Finn's heaving chest, she pressed down, and repeated this action. "Come on, breathe!" she exclaimed. Marceline pounded on his chest harder and harder. "Breathe! Stay with the living! You don't want to join the dead like me!"The vampire then realized Finn needed air in his lungs. She cursed under her breath, "You owe me one Finn." She prepared to press her lips against his for oxygen, but suddenly Finn coughed, and regained consciousness.

However this didn't stop the realization of _awkwardness_. "Uh hi," Finn said quietly.

Marceline instinctively jerked her head away from his. "Don't scare me like that you weenie," she growled. She tried her very hardest to hide the blood that rushed to her face, and covered her face with her hair to hide her blush.

"Jake!" Finn exclaimed. He crawled over to his best friend, who was unconscious as well. "Marceline, I think he needs CPR!"

…

"No way."

"Marceline! I don't know CPR!"

The Vampire growled and then kicked Jake's stomach with the toe of her boots. Jake then awoke, and coughed a few times, water gushing out. "What happened?" he asked. "Did we do it?"

"We did it dude," Finn smiled. He turned to Magic Man, "Here's your stupid popcorn piece."

"You can let Jake eat it," Magic Man said, "Congratulations for completing your third trial."

Finn nodded weakly and tossed the popcorn in Jake's mouth. "You deserve it dude."

Jake felt a tear form. _"Sweet salvation."_

**Author's Note: **Lol. So I'm sorry for the late update. I had a horrible disease that spreads throughout fan fiction, it's called _writers block_. A nasty disease, but luckily I found a cure. So I'm sorry for the late update. However, thank you for reading, and please review! Whoo!


	8. Chapter 8

**Chapter Eight: **

**Author's Note: **Readers, I am very sorry I didn't update sooner. I guess I could give you a list of excuses, but I'd rather not do excuses. The truth is I've been busy, and I'll probably end up updating once a week. I was supposed to update yesterday, but I'm using my sister's computer, and it was giving her problems with her security system. Long story short, I stayed off it because I didn't want to mess anything up. Okay, here's the next chapter. Thank you for the wait :D

**Finn was sure **that he was ready for a rest. He nearly drowned… for a popcorn piece. These trials were getting ridiculous. And by ridiculous, he meant life threatening. But Finn didn't want to tell Magic Man he was afraid of getting hurt (he'd sound wussy) but he decided to say something anyway. "Magic Man," Finn moaned, still recovering from his previous trial, "This has got to stop."

"Now now human, there are only two trials left and you're free," Magic Man replied. "Wouldn't you like to follow through with your promise, with honor and pride?"

Honor and pride. Ha. More like pain and heartache.

_You made a promise Finn! Follow through on your promise, even if it kills you!_

Finn heard the voice inside of his head. _Who is this? My conscious? _

_No! I'm your heart! Remember, I'm the one who told you to do the flipping trials!_

_Oh. Right. But heart, what if I end up get-_

_No! Finish the trials! And improve your cholesterol! For heaven's sakes, IMPROVE YOUR CHOLESTEROL!_

"Okay jeez! You don't have to yell!" Finn cried. He realized he said that part out loud. Marceline and Jake gave him a look. "Uh… I was talking to my heart," Finn stammered awkwardly.

"You're so weird," Marceline said, rolling her eyes. She then turned to Magic Man, and decided to try and help Finn. It was partly her fault he was in this mess to begin with. "Look Magic Man," she began to say, her voice serious, "It's clear Finn and Jake need to some time to cool down. So whatever your fourth trial is, you better tell us now, so that we can prepare for it."

A cold laugh was all she received back. "And what makes you think I'm going to do that?" Magic Man laughed.

Marceline showed him a dangerous glare. "Because I know something you don't want them to know," she told him tauntingly, "And don't think I won't tell them." She did a crooked smirk when she saw Magic Man's pride go down a notch.

"Very well," he said. Magic Man then snapped his fingers, and the four were transported into a medium sized room, with violet carpeting, white walls, and no windows or doors.

"Seriously dude, you need to redecorate," Jake commented. He then shrieked. "THERE'S NO COUCH!"

"Yes silly dog, there is no couch," Magic Man confirmed. "However, there is your fourth trial Finn." He snapped his fingers, and suddenly a six feet wide six foot long television appeared, hanging up on the wall (as if by magic) and there was also two multicolored dance pads with arrows going in four directions, and a bar between the two pads.

"YOU GOT DANCEY DANCE STEPPY STEP REVOLUTION!" Jake exclaimed. "This isn't even in the stores yet! How did you- oh right, magic." **(A/N Just imagine DDR. I didn't call it that because I don't know how up to date in technology the land of Ooo is) **

Magic Man chuckled. "Finn, as your next trial, you have to beat my high score."

"Now?" Finn asked.

"No, not now," Marceline then intervened. "Magic Man, give Jake and I one hour to train Finn." Jake cringed when Marceline said his name.

"Fine, you two can train him. But he has to complete my high score on 8 speed, on heavy." He winked. "Good luck, you'll need it." And with that, he was gone from the room, leaving our three heroes.

Finn started laughing like crazy. "T-train m-me how to d-dance? HA HA HA! What's so hard about dancing? I happen to be a pretty good dancer anyway."

"Taught by the best," Jake grinned. "I CAN'T BELIEVE THERE'S NO COUCH!"

"_Look_," Marceline growled, her patience wearing thin, "You better shut up and let me train you. Because without me, there's no way you're going to complete this trial."

"Oh really? What makes you so sure?" Finn shot back.

"Go on Finn, step on the dance pad," Marceline answered. Finn nodded and stepped up on it, and Marceline took the remote and started selecting options. "You think you're so good? You've got to be able to complete _this_." She pressed start as soon as she said that, and the song started. Finn braced himself.

Suddenly arrows started flashing up and down the screen, going too fast for poor Finn's brain to register! "Ah!" he exclaimed in fear and frustration. Hundreds of arrows, passing by in mere seconds. "I can't do this!" Finn exclaimed.

"Not yet," Marceline said confidently. "But just wait until I'm through with you."

"Sucks to be you man," Jake laughed. "WHY IS THERE NO COUCH?"

~X~X~X~

"Faster Finn! You must anticipate the arrows before they happen! Remember, left, right, right, up, then up and down, then left, left, right, down, down, up, left, up, right, then double left right. Got it?"

"Uh… okay right-"

"LEFT!"

"Left! Left, right, up-"

"RIGHT AGAIN!"

"Ugh! This is some messed up cheese! I can't do this!" Finn exclaimed, stepping off the dance mat. "This is too stressful! I'm only twelve! Next you're going to tell me my body is going to go out of whack!"

"That's called puberty Finn. We'll talk about that later," Jake said.

"UGH! There are too many arrows and they are going to fast!"

"You can't just quit you weenie," Marceline spat. "At the very least, try until you can't move your legs."

"Okay look Finn," Jake said, deciding to get off his couch rant and help his brother. "You can dance. You can bust moves like I've never seen a human do. That's partly because you're the only human I've seen dance, but that's beside the point." Jake dramatically put his paws on Finn's shoulders. "Unleash your inner awesome my brother," he whispered. "Unleash your inner awesome."

"My inner awesome?" Finn asked. "My inner awesome…" He closed his eyes and concentrated, thinking about the dance pad and the arrows flashing on the screen. His eyes fluttered to the back of his head, and he was suddenly transported somewhere dark and empty, the only thing he could see was a flickering candle in the distance. "Hello?" Finn asked. "Anyone here?"

"Like O-M-G I'm here," came a voice. Finn knew that voice. He _knew _it.

"Lumpy Space Princess?" he asked. He walked closer to the flickering candle and saw LSP floating on the opposite side of it, but she was oddly the color of his shirt instead of purple. "What are you doing here?" he asked.

"I'm your voice of reason."

"No, I'm his voice of reason!" came another voice. Out from the darkness stepped a blue colored Princess Bubblegum.

"Princess!" Finn exclaimed happily. "I'm so glad you're here! But I'm also really confused, where am I?"

"Inside your head silly," Princess Bubblegum answered. "I am your voice of reason, of course I'm not the real Bubblegum, and LSP isn't the real Lumpy Space Princess, but we decided to take up these forms of your friends so you aren't as freaked out."

"Okay, I understand why you're here Princess, but why is LSP here?" Finn asked.

"So I'm not lonely," Bubblegum answered simply.

"Cha Finn, so she's not lonely," LSP repeated for emphasis.

"So Finn, why have you come here?" Bubblegum asked, "Of course, you are always welcome here."

"I came to unleash my inner awesomeness," Finn answered.

"Oh my lumps, is he serious?" LSP asked.

"Yes! I'm serious!"

"Well then Finn," Princess Bubblegum smiled, "To unleash your inner awesomeness, you must first sign some paperwork."

"What? I don't have time for that boring cheese!" Finn cried. "Isn't there anything faster?"

LSP rolled her eyes. "Alright, here, eat this cracker."

Finn raised a brow. "So let me get this straight, in order to unleash my inner awesomeness I've got to eat a cracker that my voice of reason's friend gives me?"

"Pretty much smoothie. This isn't any cracker, this is the cracker of doubt."

"Cracker of doubt?"

"Doubt is what blocks all awesomeness," Princess Bubblegum explained. "Now eat up, and return to your friends."

~X~X~X~

"Finn. Finn? DUDE! Where'd you get that cracker?"

"Huh? What?"

Finn opened his eyes and saw Marceline and Jake standing over him. "You've been out cold for twenty minutes. Now we're only five minutes away from the trial, and you're going to fail," Marceline said angrily.

"Not today Marceline! Because I've eaten my cracker of doubt and now I'm prepared for awesomeness!"

"Dude, the cracker is still in your hand."

"Oh." Finn quickly munched his cracker. "Okay, NOW I'm prepared for awesomeness!"

~X~X~X~

"Okay Finn, this is it. I know you seemingly put all of your trust into a cracker… which makes you even more of a weirdo… but just try to remember what I taught you," Marceline told Finn.

"Thanks. I'll try."

She rolled her eyes. _We're doomed. _

"You can do this dude!" Jake encouraged.

"Are you ready?" Magic Man then asked, a smile on his lips.

"Sploosh yeah! Play that music Magic Man!" Finn exclaimed, stepping up on the dance pad.

"Very well." Magic Man selected the options, set the speed to 8, the level to heavy, and pressed start. And so began the fourth trial.

Everyone was in shock. Finn wasn't winning. He was DOMINATING. Every step was exact, landing on the exact second he was supposed to step, and he didn't even have to grab onto the bars for support. It would look as if he was moving super humanly fast if seen by the untrained eye. The normal human wouldn't even be able to see the arrows on the screen. Then again, the normal human hasn't unleashed his or her inner awesomeness, and eaten their cracker of doubt.

Finn was doing so well he started going into the combinations. He was halfway through the five minute song (Magic Man 'coincidentally' chose the longest song) and he already at 34 perfects. Things weren't looking good for Magic Man. But he kept his face confident, despite how badly Marceline wanted to see him freak out.

"Not bad for a human, eh Magic Man?" she asked tauntingly.

"Nope, not all," Magic Man answered coolly.

Marceline crossed her arms. _He's a good actor_.

The only thing that was zooming through Finn's head was_ left, right, right, up, then up and down, then left, left, right, down, down, up, left, up, right, then double left right_. That seemed to be the main combination for the chorus of the song. When the song had a minute left, exhaustion started to pound upon our poor hero. His legs felt like led, and sweat was dripping from every pore. He gradually got slower, and started to miss steps.

"No Finn! Stay strong!" Jake barked. "You can do this brother!"

But Finn had reached his limits. "I can't…" he mumbled.

_You can do it Finn! This is your inner voice of reason! You can complete this trial! Believe!_

_Oh my lumps, PB, where's the remote?_

_Not now! Hear me Finn! You can do it!_

"I can do it Princess!" Finn exclaimed. With one final ounce of strength, he hit the last steps, completing the song, and beating Magic Man's high score by one point.

"You did it!" Jake cried happily, hugging Finn.

"I… did… it," Finn mumbled.

"Just one more trial Finn," Marceline whispered, "One more trial."

**Author's Note: **

Whoo! Long chapter! Seriously, wow, long one. I hope you enjoyed it! Please review, and thank you for reading! :D


	9. Chapter 9

**Chapter Nine:**

**Author's Note:**

Well my readers, I am truly sorry for not updating when I said I would. Sometimes things happen that keep a writer from writing, and I know my absence has been over a month, and for that I am sorry. I hope you're all not upset, really I have no excuse but simply I was busy with things and couldn't find the time. But for this, I have extended the length of this chapter, and because it is split into parts, the next update won't take nearly as long :D

~X~X~X~

"Oh my lumps! PB! You've got to come see Hot Dog Princess's pictures when she visited the Night O' Sphere!" Lumpy Space Princess exclaimed. LSP floated throughout Princess Bubblegum's bedroom, her phone in her hand and the other on her lumpy hip. "PB?"

"In here Lumpy Space Princess," came a delicate voice, which LSP followed. There sitting on a chair made of licorice, sat Princess Bubblegum, with her Peppermint Butler carrying a tray of candy and chocolate milk. "Do have a seat," the princess smiled sweetly.

"Right, yeah, thanks." LSP sat down. "Hey Peppermint, you doing anything later?"

The Peppermint Butler flashed his majesty a desperate look. "Yes, you may leave," Bubblegum smiled. The tiny butler scampered out of the room. "Really LSP, it's been five months you really should get over Brad by now."

"I am trying to get over Brad! I just asked your lumpin' butler out!" LSP cried.

"Yes, but that's the fifth time today. And you've also harassed three of my candy chefs and four of my other butlers. Are you sure you're not acting desperate because you desperately want to forget Brad?"

"To the lumps with Brad. He even dumped Melissa. Now he's going out with Shantay! Do you know how lumpin' evil Shantay is? LUMPIN EVIL!"

Bubblegum popped a jaw breaker in her mouth daintily. "Just please stop scaring Peppermint Butler. He really is a good worker, you know?"

"Whatever," LSP growled. "Do you want to see Hot Dog Princess's pictures or not?"

"Oh alright, but only because she bought me that exquisite dress from the last Mallow Tea Party Ceremony I hosted."

"Uh huh, sure."

The two Princesses scanned through LSP's phone, giggling and making comments about each picture. They happened to be so involved with what they were doing, they did not notice the sly figure that slipped through Bubblegum's open window, and started to slink closer to them. However, one individual did notice, and his name was Manfred the talking Piñata. "Who goes there?" he asked the masked stranger.

Without bothering to look up, the figure merely chuckled, and continued on its way.

"Don't ignore me!" Manfred cried, "Where are you going?"

"Hush horsey," the figure ordered.

"I'm a piñata," Manfred corrected.

"And do you know what this is?" the figure asked, holding up a baseball bat.

"Uh, I need to get my glasses, hold on."

The figure sighed in frustration. "It's a bat."

"You wanted to show me a ba- oh wait- AH NO! DON'T WHACK AT ME! MY NIGHTMARES WILL RETURN!"

"Then SHUSH!" the figure ordered. Manfred stayed quiet. If it was anyone in Ooo who had a fear of being repeatedly whacked by a stick, it was Manfred. Poor Manfred.

"And this is my profile page. I have 792 friends, almost as much as Melissa," LSP said, scrolling through her phone.

"You know what we should do?" Bubblegum asked, "We should write silly things on other people's walls."

_CRASH!_

"What the lumps was that?" LSP asked.

"I'm not sure," Bubblegum replied. "Yoo hoo, who goes there?" she asked, standing up and walking towards the noise. "OH MY GOODNESS, LSP COME HERE!" she shrieked.

LSP went where Bubblegum was. "OH-EHM-GEE!" LSP cried. She took a few snapshots with her phone.

"What are you doing?" Bubblegum asked.

"This will make a great story to tell on the web," LSP answered.

Bubblegum rolled her eyes. She bent down to the figure in front of her that was sprawled out on the floor. "Excuse me sir, are you alright?" Bubblegum asked, daintily poking the figure's black cloak.

And that was when Bubblegum and LSP screamed in fright, and disappeared from the Candy Kingdom- the figure taking them away…

~X~X~X~

"One more trial dude. One more trial. Then everything will be over. We can go home and play video games, stuff our mouths with ice cream, and go on life threatening adventures like normal. You can do this," Jake told his best bud encouragingly.

"I'm just tired," Finn said, "But yeah, I do have one more trial left."

"And you better not mess up weenie," Marceline said.

"Show some faith in my bro! He's gotten this far, hasn't he?" Jake barked.

The stubborn vampire queen softened. "You're right dog. Finn, you better not mess up, but I know you won't because you're you."

"Thanks," Finn smiled.

"Well actually, wait, you will mess up, because it's pretty much like you to do, but you won't mess up so badly that you'll fail, you'll probably mess up enough to fix your own mistakes and complete the challenge."

"Uh… what?"

"Forget it," Marceline growled.

Finn smiled. "How about you just wish me luck another way?"

"What other way?" If you studied Marceline's pale face very closely, you'd see the slightest tint of rose in her white cheeks, as Finn embraced her in a tight hug. She didn't expect Finn to hug her. "Weenie, what are you doing?" she asked.

"Hugging you. That's assuring enough," Finn answered.

"But you hugged me."

"You can still hug me back."

"Please, I'm not a wuss."

"Hugging doesn't make me wussy. I'm still as awesome as ever."

Marceline rolled her eyes and reluctantly, but eventually, put her icy arms around Finn, and hugged him back. She was starting to enjoy the feeling of hugging Finn, when she saw Jake inch closer to the two. "Come any closer and you'll be my mid afternoon snack," Marceline threatened, popping her fangs out.

"NO!" Jake cowered.

Finn let go of Marceline, and took in a new breath. "You know, I actually feel ready for whatever Magic Man throws at me."

"Excellent to know," said a voice, "Because I intend to throw everything I've got."

The three heroes turned to see Magic Man. "Can you throw me some dinner. I'm STARVING!" Jake exclaimed.

"No dinner until Finn completes his trial," Magic Man answered.

"Jake, you've gone all day without food. Just eat the veggies in my backpack," Finn said to his best friend.

"_Never,"_ Jake swore.

"Let's just hurry up and get this trial over with!" Marceline yelled.

"Touchy, touchy," Jake murmured under his breath, low enough that the vampire queen didn't hear. "Alright Magic Man, what do you have for my bro?"

"I have stolen five people that you know young human, and for your final trial you and Jake must venture out and rescue them. I have set up a building, and on each level of the building your five friends are trapped."

"So we have to go through each level of the building and save them one by one?" Finn asked.

"Yes young hero," Magic Man smiled, "That is exactly what I had in mind."

"Who are the five?" Jake asked suspiciously.

"It's a surprise," Magic Man winked, "You two will find out as you go along." He tossed Finn his sword. "You'll need that. This is your final trial after all, surely you didn't think you could just waltz in and save your friends without being challenged, did you?"

"Psh no way!" Finn cried. _Dang it_ he thought.

"Finn, there's something I need to tell you before we start this trial," Marceline said, turning the twelve year old to face her. "Actually it's something I've known all along, and I've decided I should just out right tell you."

"What?" Finn asked. "Something wrong?"

"Well it's not that something is wrong, it's just that you should know that I-"

"Ah, ah, ah!" Magic Man hissed. "You promised little vampire!" He snapped his fingers, and before Finn and Jake's eyes Marceline disappeared.

"Hey!" Finn cried, "Bring her back!"

"She's not coming back," Magic Man smiled, "Unless you can rescue her of course."

"Wha- you- YOU'RE GOING TO PAY MAGIC MAN! I WILL DESTROY YOU!" Finn yelled, trying his hardest to attack him, if Jake hadn't held him back.

"Yes Finn the human! Use your pent up rage! You're magnificent pent up rage!"

"Ugh! You're such a jerk!"

Magic Man winked. "I believe I already taught you that lesson Finn." He then snapped his fingers again, and a bright light flashed, consuming Finn and Jake whole!

~X~X~X~

When Finn opened his eyes, he realized two things. One: he was inside a dark cave-like room, that had poor a ventilation system, and he guessed it was the first level of the building Magic Man put him and Jake in. The second thing he noticed, was that his sword was slung around his waist, and he was lying on it awkwardly. "Jake?" Finn asked.

"Hey dude," Jake answered, "Good, you're awake."

"So is this our first level?" Finn asked, standing up and stretching his back.

"Yup," Jake answered. "Ready to get rocking?"

"I was born rocking."

Only five minutes had passed, and in that five minutes, Finn and Jake were exploring the random level they were in. The place reminded them of a castle-cave, the walls and floors were dark blue and glittery, and the occasional _drip drop _sound would echo off in the distance. "What do you think happened to Marceline?" Finn asked his best friend.

"Man, I have no idea. This has all been a wild trip," Jake answered. "But hey, I'm sure Marceline is fine. She's a vampire dude, and you know how powerful vampires are and stuff. So powerful, that they give me the creeps."

"Yeah," Finn agreed. "Who do you think we're saving first?"

"MY GIRLFRIEND!"

"Who?"

"LADY!"

"Lady who?"

"LADY RAINICORN FINN, LOOK!" Jake cried. He pointed with his paw, and off in the distance the two heroes saw Jake's girlfriend tied up in ropes against the cave wall. He started running towards her, "I'm coming for you baby! Don't think this is some kind of messed up thing I set up, this is totally coincidental!"

"Jakey! It's a trap!" Lady Rainicorn cried. Just as she said that, Jake stepped on a rope and was up in a net. "Oh Jakey, no!"

"It's okay Lady! I'm magical, remember?" Jake asked. He tried enlarging himself, but it didn't matter how big he made himself he couldn't get out of the net. "Finn! Help!"

"That must be a magic blocking net or something," Finn said. "Maybe I can cut you down with my sword!"

"It won't work Finn, you've got to pull that lever. If you don't I'll be stuck in these magic blocking and Jake will be stuck in that magic blocking net," Lady Rainicorn instructed.

"What lever?" Finn asked. He turned around and beyond an obstacle of thorn bushes, acid flooring, and machines throwing knives back and forth to each other, was a lever that could be switched **off**. "Oh. _That lever," _Finn sighed. "Jake, how am I going to get through this?"

Jake didn't hear him though, because he and Lady Rainicorn had started to fight. "What do you mean you don't know where our anniversary is?" Lady Rainicorn cried.

"I mean, I forgot baby!" Jake replied.

"I wrote it down on your calendar! How could you forget?"

"I'm a dog! I've been busy!"

"Oh never mind," Finn sighed. He then got a bright idea, and walked around all of the obstacle courses, pulling the switch to off. "That was conveniently easy," Finn smiled. Jake and Rainicorn were set free.

"Awesome dude!" Jake cheered.

"Four more levels to go," Finn said.

"Don't worry Finn, I'll accompany you," Lady Rainicorn smiled.

"Mathematical! LET'S GO!" Finn cried. The three started running up the old flight of stairs, entering the next level, unaware of the next captive they'd have to save.

**Author's Note: **

Once again, I'm really sorry for not updating. Okay, I think I've apologized enough. Please review, because with reviews I feel more inspired to update :D Then again, that's with every story and author, isn't it XD Thank you for reading :D


	10. Chapter 10

**Chapter Ten:**

When we last saw our heroes, Finn, Jake, and now Jake's girlfriend Lady Rainicorn had climbed the next flight of stairs, entering into the second level of Magic Man's final trial. The twelve almost thirteen year old hero could hear his heart pound inside his chest. Questions whirred around his mind like a million buzzing bees. _Who am I going to have to save next? Is Marceline okay? Is Magic Man trustworthy when he says this is my final trial? Does 8+8 equal 16 or 17? Okay Finn, add it up using your fingers…_

"Dude?" Jake then asked, interrupting Finn's mathematical thoughts. "We're in the second level."

Finn immediately stopped counting. "Right," he agreed. The three looked at what the second level held. It was probably 95 degrees in the room, and boiling lava all around the ground, except for black stepping stones that lay inside it, the stones seeming to be the only thing the lava didn't melt.

"Seems the lava would melt through to the first floor," Lady Rainicorn thought aloud.

"This is Magic Man's work. Nothing makes sense with that guy," Finn replied. He sighed. "Alright, step carefully now." Jake was the first to test out the stepping stones, and after he gave the signal it was alright, Finn followed him. Luckily, Lady Rainicorn could fly, and she had no need to step on the stones. The two adventurers could've sat on her, but after Jake falling off of her one time they decided it was safer to step on the stones.

"Who do you think he's hiding in here?" Finn asked Jake.

"Well whoever it is I hope they can withstand this heat! I feel like I'm inside a hot tamale!" Jake exclaimed.

"Oh Jakey, that reminds me, I have a coupon for a buy one get one free taco salad at that Mexican Food restaurant Lumpy Space Princess showed me," Lady Rainicorn sighed.

"We'll go there if we make out of this alive," Jake said.

"Promise?"

"Promise babe."

"Oh Jakey!"

Finn sighed. Jake had once explained to him that when two people (or creatures, magical dogs, unicorns etc) become boyfriend/girlfriend, they tend to use 'pet names' and talk cutesy with each other. The twelve year old still didn't quite grasp why, because if he ever called Marceline baby or sweetheart she would-

_WHOA! _Finn thought to himself. _Why would I ever call Marceline that? I mean, we're not boyfriend or girlfriend. Well I mean… no Finn! Not cool! We're friends. She's a vampire and you're an awesome hero that saves Ooo from danger. Yeah. You're too awesome for a girlfriend, or a princess girlfriend. Not that Bubblegum would be your- WHOA! Where did that thought come from?_

Finn's trains of confused adolescent thoughts were interrupted, when he realized the stepping stones had run out, and all around was a bubbling pit of lava. "See any other stones?"

"Nope," Jake answered. "But look dude, up ahead across the pool of lava!"

Jake pointed and twenty or so yards away, tied up in chains, was the one person Finn or Jake never in their right mind expected to be locked up. The Ice King.

"This is so messed up," Finn said in shock. "Why did Magic Man capture him? He is such a nerd!"

"I heard that Finn! As soon as I get out of these chains you shall pay for your insolence!" Ice King swore.

"Look dude," Jake whispered. "His crown is off his head, he has no powers."

"So he's the reason why the temperature is unbearable in here," Finn sighed. "Alright Ice King! We're going to figure out a way to save you, even though we pretty much don't like you, so just sit tight for a few!"

"Finn you fool! If you retrieve my crown I can turn this lava into ice! I AM THE ICE KING! That's basically my M.O.!"

Jake searched the room. "Oh I see his crown, it's right next to him. I'm sure if I stretch my arms out, careful not to dip them into the lava, then I can-"

"No need Jakey," Rainicorn assured. "I'll get it." She flew over the lava with ease, landing across the way where Ice King was.

"Hey doll, you want to catch a movie with the Ice King? My penguins set up a new surround sound," Ice King winked.

"FINN! HE'S HITTING ON MY GIRLFRIEND!" Jake barked.

"ICE KING! LADY RAINICORN IS OFF THE MARKET!" Finn yelled.

"I've got your crown," Lady Rainicorn announced. "Now, if I put the crown on you do you promise to turn the lava into ice?"

"Obviously," the Ice King answered. "Now hurry!" The unicorn sighed, putting the crown back on Ice King's oddly shaped head. "Yes! I can feel my power returning!" Ice King laughed.

"Just turn the lava into snow!" Jake barked.

"Alright, alright already, sheesh, can't a guy celebrate once in awhile?" Ice King pointed his hand towards the lava, turning it into ice as he said. Finn and Jake walked across with ease. "Now untie me!" Ice King ordered.

"What do you think dude, should we untie him? He might cause problems for us and the ladies in the future," Jake said.

"Yeah, but my trial was to find and set free all of the captives. That includes the Ice King." Finn sighed. He took his sword and cut the chains, setting the Ice King free. "Now look man, are you going to accompany us on the next three levels or not?"

"Accompany you? You mean, you want _me _to help _you _save princesses?" Ice King asked.

"Well, I'm not so sure that there are princesses captured, but yes, we would appreciate your help," Finn confirmed.

The Ice King stroked his long white beard. "It all seems like a trap," he hummed, "That I help you save princesses, that the princesses fall in love with me for being their hero, and that they become my bachelorettes and potential brides! Yes! They'll be so grateful that I helped you three, that they'll be my wife slave forever! I shall help you!"

"Uh…" Finn stammered. "Jake we need to keep a close eye on him," he whispered. Jake nodded. "Okay, you'll help us," Finn said.

"Only if you stop hitting on my lady," Jake growled.

"Fine, she's not even a princess anyway. Plus, Rainicorn and I wouldn't have worked out, I might wake up one day and find she turned all my penguins indigo," Ice King shrugged.

"YOU TAKE THAT BACK!" Jake growled.

Finn sighed. _Marceline, wherever you are, I really hope you're safe. _

**Author's Note:**

Told you I'd update :D Please review, and thank you for reading!


	11. Chapter 11

**Chapter Eleven: **

Currently, Finn the human, Jake the magical dog, Lady Rainicorn the unicorn, and Ice King the big ol' nerd were climbing up into the third level of the building, on a mission to save the next captive. "I'm thinking if I'm going to help you three with this rescue business, we should assign ourselves codenames," Ice King suggested.

"No Ice King, no codenames," Finn replied.

"Ah come on dude, I think that's actually an awesome idea," Jake disagreed. "We should pick out some real cool names. Ooh I know! I'll be Stretch, because that's pretty much my talent, stretching out my body. Yeah, I'll be Stretch from now on."

Finn laughed. "Alright dude, you can be Stretch. Lady Rainicorn, what should you be?"

"Oh I don't know, maybe you can think of something," Lady Rainicorn giggled. "I want it to be pretty though."

"How about Rainbow?" Finn suggested.

"No man, it has to be somewhat intimidating. Who gets intimidated by rainbows?" Jake asked. "I know Lady, you'll be known as the vicious RAINBOW DEMON!"

"Rainbow Demon?" she asked uneasily, "I'm not sure Jakey, that sounds a little-"

"Okay, the _beautiful _and vicious RAINBOW DEMON!"

"Alright. That sounds good," Lady Rainicorn allowed.

"I'll be Finn Bomb," Finn said, "Cause I bring the house _down_." Jake laughed.

"Ooh! Me! Do me! What should my name be? Lady Killer? Ice Man? OOH how about Lady Killer Ice Man? I like that!" Ice King exclaimed.

Finn and Jake exchanged looks. "You'll be Big N," Jake told him.

"Big N?" Ice King raised a brow. "What's the N stand for?"

The two heroes silently chuckled to themselves. The 'N' stood for nerd. "It doesn't matter, it sounds cool, right Jake?" Finn asked.

"Oh yeah, Big N totally suits you Ice King," Jake snickered.

Ice King stroked his beard. "Big N. I actually like that."

"You should," Finn chuckled. It was then the four actually realized where they were. The third floor looked as if it was a forest, with fresh green grass growing, a couple daisies here and there, tall towering Pine Trees and the ceiling painted like a blue cloudy sky. "Wow, this looks like the forest from back home," Finn commented.

"I wonder what the catch is," Jake thought aloud. "Ice King, you're a moderately decent villain, if you captured someone in a forest, what would you do?"

"You're asking me my opinion?" Ice King asked, bewildered by this. He rubbed his beard. "I suppose I would find a licensed wild animal to marry my bride and I. Perhaps a fox, or even a raccoon to recite our matrimony."

"For someone who's so obsessed with marriage, don't you think you should play the field more?" Lady Rainicorn asked.

"Oh, so you want me to play the field on your account, eh?" Ice King asked.

"NO!" she cried.

"FINN! HE'S HITTING ON MY GIRL AGAIN!" Jake hollered.

"Ice King, for the last time-"

"BIG N! MY NAME IS BIG N!"

"Fine! Big N! Lady Rainicorn is off the market! She has hooked up with Jake!"

"What about Rainbow Demon?" the Ice King asked. "And who's Jake?"

"I'm Jake!" the magical dog growled.

"No, you're Stretch."

Finn smacked his hand to his forehead. If Marceline was here, she'd probably smack Ice King and knock him out, which in turn would be easier on all of them. Before Finn started thinking more about his vampire friend, a deep rumbling growl erupted through the forest!

Trees began to shake, and the ground began to grumble vehemently! "What the cabbage is going on?" Finn cried.

"NO! STAY AWAY FROM ME! I LUMPIN' MEAN IT!" screamed a far away voice.

Finn and Jake exchanged looks. They only knew one princess that used 'lumpin' as a verb, adjective, noun, and sometimes a conversation starter. Lumpy Space Princess. "Man, why did Magic Man have to capture her?" Jake whined. "That's just not fair."

"LUMPIN' HELP ME!"

"Ooh a princess is calling for us! Let us save this damsel in distress!" Ice King exclaimed, sounding delighted. He started running up ahead. Lady Rainicorn, Finn and Jake sighed, and ran after the all too happy Ice King.

After running through bushes, maneuvering around a few trees, and leaping over a mud puddle, the four finally reached the sounds of the distressed princess. Tied up in a cage (that Finn noted was made of sticks) was LSP, and a giant Wilderness Ogre stood between her and the four. **(A/N I made a Wilderness Ogre up, but kind of picture Mannish Man the Minotaur from the Enchiridion episode as a basis for his looks)**

"Jellies dude, it's the Wilderness Ogre," Jake sighed.

The ogre was tall and hairy, towering over them with oversized possibly fake muscles, wearing nothing more than khaki shorts and a tiny cowboy hat his mother bought him for Christmas. "Who dares intrude?" he demanded forcefully.

"Yeah, look I don't have time for this, I just came for the princess," Finn said quickly. He needed to save Marceline NOW.

"What? You wish to duel me for this young princess's heart?" the Wilderness Ogre asked.

"NO! I'm not after her love!" Finn cried. "No offense Lumpy Space Princess."

"None taken Finn, you're so not my type. We probably would've lasted a few weeks, four tops, but then my parents would've found out about our relationship at that point, and force me to break up with you because you're a smoothie," LSP replied.

Finn's face contorted into a sheer face of disgust, just for a moment before getting his game face back on.

"You're not taking my captive," the Wilderness Ogre said, "So you and your… _friends _can turn around and leave."

"I THINK NOT!" the Ice King bellowed. "There has to be something we can do! You don't understand the meaning of loneliness! You are insolent!"

The ogre thought for a moment. "Tell you freaks what," he began to say, "If you four can do something that interests me, I'll let you take my princess captive. Boss said that I was supposed to fight you guys off, but I'll see what you guys can do first." Finn guessed that 'boss' was Magic Man.

"I can turn any object any color of the rainbow," Lady Rainicorn said, turning a gray rock blue for a demonstration.

"I can stretch my body in any shape or size," Jake said, stretching out his arms and making wild loops.

"I can turn anything to ice or make it snow," the Ice King said, shooting an icicle from his blue hand, the icicle shattering on a Pine Tree.

_Cabbage! Finn thought. _"Uh, I can solve math problems." He picked up a stray leaf off the ground, and ripped it in half. "One plus one is two!" he exclaimed, showing the Wilderness Ogre the two leave halves.

The Wilderness Ogre thought this over for a moment, appearing to be deep in thought. "Hmm. Is there anything you four can do as a group?"

"You mean together?" Lady Rainicorn asked. "I can show you three how to knit scarves!"

"NO!" the three unappreciative scarf under estimators yelled.

Lady Rainicorn crossed her arms. _"Men." _

"Wait I got it! WE CAN BREAK DANCE!" Jake cried enthusiastically.

"What? Jake I can't break dance!" Finn exclaimed.

"No, but you can beat box and give us rhythm. Big N and Rainbow Demon will do the rest," Jake told him. "Come on, I heard the song you beat boxed with Marceline about her dad and the French fries. I was in your pocket, remember? You can do this!"

Memories of that crazy night with Marceline's father went through Finn's mind. _This is all for Marceline_, he told himself. "Alright, let's do this," Finn said dramatically, taking black baseball caps with spray painted writing out of his backpack and putting them on Jake and the Ice King's head, so it was backwards. _"Let's do this." _

**(A/N I'm about to attempt my first break dance scene. I hope I don't fail XD)**

"Boo kee boo ba boo boo kee," Finn beat boxed.

"STRETCH AND BIG N Y'ALL!" Jake announced. Jake immediately stretched his limbs, twisting them all about in wild directions, the Ice King twirling around as well. The Ice King then ran towards Jake and kicked off his back, back flipping through the air and landing next to Lady Rainicorn. She then began to do the wave with her body, each time looping bigger.

Jake stretched down to his normal size and started to do a handstand, twisting his legs through his arms and flipping up into the air! The Ice King cart wheeled into a handstand and caught Jake with his feet, Rainicorn flying between the two!

"Boo kee boo ba boo boo kee!" Finn beat boxed faster!

"We need to do the pop and locks!" Jake exclaimed. Ice King nodded, and waved his arms to the beat box rhythm. Lady Rainicorn starting spinning around fast, randomly turning things different colors, and it resembled to look like a laser light show!

"Get ready for the big finish!" Ice King shouted. Lady Rainicorn then front flipped into Jake's arms, Ice King back flipped into her arms, and Jake threw the two in the air! Before they landed, Finn did a tumble next to Jake, and all of four of them landed on the grass in a rapper pose!

"RESPECT!" Finn said, in a deep and gruff rapper voice.

"Hooray!" the Wilderness Ogre cheered. "That was the best break dance I've seen!"

"So can we have LSP?" Finn asked, panting from all the beat boxing awesomeness he just performed.

"Nope."

"Why?" Lady Rainicorn demanded, "We did a great routine!"

"I thought the Ice King's cartwheels were a little lopsided," LSP commented.

"SILENCE!" The Ice King yelled angrily. Though that didn't change the fact they _were_ lopsided.

"What was it missing?" Jake demanded.

"Cake frosting," the Wilderness Ogre answered simply. He shrugged. "I like cake."

Finn and Jake exchanged looks. "We haven't beat up anything for awhile," Finn pointed out.

"Way ahead of you," Jake grinned. The two adventurers ran towards the ogre, Jake enlarging himself to match his size. Finn leaped up and punched the ogre square in the jaw, and Jake kicked him in an area you really shouldn't kick ogres, or any man really. Wilderness Ogre fell over, his eyes wide with shock, that the two just attacked him. "That's what happens when you insult my mad break dance skills," Jake growled.

Finn kicked LSP's cage of sticks, and the princess leaped on his back for a ride. "Come on! Let's find the fourth level!" Finn cried.

"Hey! No fair!" Wilderness Ogre cried. He tried to run after the five, but they had already escaped up into the fourth level stairs. They were out of his realm, and he wasn't allowed to chase them past that. The ogre sighed. "Magic Man won't be pleased."

**Author's Note:**

Merry Christmas! I know it's late, but still, Merry Christmas! And a Happy New Year! Please review and thank you for reading.

Oh, and just be patient for Marceline. ;D There will be Marceline (get it, instead of there will be blood? XD) And I hope you guys liked my break dance scene. I wish I could break dance, especially if Jake and Finn were my partners 8D Please review.


	12. Chapter 12

**Chapter Twelve:**

"This is the fourth level dude! One more to go, and then we'll be out of this mess!" Finn exclaimed, as he, Jake, Lady Rainicorn, Ice King, and LSP bounded up from the third level to the fourth level.

"Oh my lumps, I hope PB is on this next level," LSP said, "Her and I were lumpin' captured when we were checking out pictures of Hot Dog Princess's blog."

"Princess Bubblegum has been captured?" Finn shrieked. "Oh no! Now Magic Man has gone to far!"

"What's it like Finn?" Ice King then asked.

"What is what like?"

"What's the feeling like when your lover is captured? I'm just curious, seeing as I'm the one who usually does the capturing. Do you feel alive?" Ice King questioned.

Finn groaned. "Princess Bubblegum is not my lover!"

"Oh, I see, you two are taking things slow," Ice King grinned, "Princesses like playing hard to get." He winked.

"NO! We're not dating, or in love, or anything like that!" Finn exclaimed.

"Oh ho, so now you've fallen for that vampire chick instead of my best friend? What, PB not good enough for you now?" LSP interrogated.

"What? NO! Marceline and I aren't lovers either!"

"Oh come on Finn, the only reason you're so dedicated to saving them is because you love one of them," Ice King said.

"No! I'm doing this for honor! For what's right! Saving Bubblegum and Marceline is the right thing to do!" Finn screeched.

"Yeah! My brother has morality!" Jake defended. He lowered his voice, "But if you did choose, could you go with Bubblegum, because Marceline gives me the shivers."

"NO ONE UNDERSTANDS!" Finn screamed.

"Ah, he's going through the first stages of puberty," Lady Rainicorn cooed.

"I remember when I went through puberty. Next thing Finn knows, he'll have an overwhelming desire to steal power and princesses for his collection," Ice King added.

"Oh my lumps, he might grow a beard as well," LSP added.

Finn sighed. _No one understands. _

**(A/N lol poor Finn, tormenting him is fun because he's so cute XD Even though I'm not a 12 year old boy (I'm a girl lol) I can imagine that a unicorn, a magical dog, a lumpy space princess, and a middle aged ice king talking about you and puberty can be pretty humiliating)**

The fourth level was most definitely the strangest thing Finn and his comrades had ever seen. It looked like their home, every tree, rock, and forest path looking the same, even the Candy Kingdom wasn't too far off. But the five knew that this was all trickery of the mind, which this wasn't really their home, in fact, it was far from it. However, that was not the puzzling part, it was the skies. One half of the skies were bright orange from the glistening sun, and the other half was dark blue with a luminescent moon. Half day, half night.

"I'm going to bed," Jake said, stepping on the part of grass that was nighttime. "And now I'm awake!" he exclaimed, stepping over to the day side. "This is totally radical man."

"Are you kidding? This is UNACCEPTABLE! How will we know which time is breakfast, and which time is dinner? Now I have to re-plan my princess kidnapping schedule!" Ice King cried.

"I have a really bad feeling inside of me," Finn said to Jake. "A _really _bad feeling."

"So do I man, but it's probably gas." Jake grinned. "Don't worry Finn. We've made it this far, haven't we?"

"Yeah… I just can't shake this bad feeling inside my gut."

"Remember what I taught you; always trust your gut."

"Jake, I taught you that when we went out to the Cloud Kingdom, you ate too many cloud tarts, your gut told you to take it easy, you kept eating tarts anyway disregarding your gut, and then you ended up getting sick and couldn't take me shopping for a violin case!" Lady Rainicorn exclaimed.

"What the lumps, men are so messed up," LSP commented.

Jake shrugged. "Yeah, yeah, whatever."

"Look! Up ahead I see two cages!" Finn exclaimed. The human boy dashed off running as fast as his legs could carry him, his friends not too far behind him. With an incredible burst of adrenaline (and perhaps a sugar boost from his candy bar) Finn leaped up seven or eight feet in the air, clinging to one of the iron cages.

Two iron cages, one on the day side, one on the night side, were hanging up by trees by a strong chain. Only a little slit was inside the cage, and Finn stuck his face up to a slit, looked inside, and-

"Finn!"

"Princess Bubblegum!"

Finn's eyes were wide with disbelief as he saw the Candy Kingdom princess inside the cage, nestled in a far corner. "I'm so glad you're here! I've been in this strange cage all day and I couldn't get out! Please save me!"

"Sure Princess, but just hold on one second."

Finn let go of his hold on the cage, falling to the grass. "WAIT! FINN! DON'T LEAVE ME ALONE AGAIN!" Princess Bubblegum shrieked.

Running over to the night side of the grass, Finn leaped up onto the other cage. _Please be Marceline, please be Marceline, please be-_

"Hey weenie."

"Marceline!"

Standing inside the cage, with her hands on her hips, was Marceline the vampire queen. "Took you long enough," she said nonchalantly. "I've been in this cage for a few hours, with princess pinky in the other cage across from me."

"It's okay, we'll get you out of here," Finn assured, "I'm going to open Princess Bubblegum's cage first because it's day time and I can see better."

"You really think it's that easy, don't you?" Marceline asked.

"What? Why isn't it that easy?"

"Magic Man set this whole thing up human boy. The only way you're opening pinky's cage is with me, because her cage will only open up when my hand touches the lock." By now, Jake and the others were over on the day side, Lady Rainicorn talking to Princess Bubblegum.

"Alright, I'll let you go, and you can come open her cage," Finn said. "How does this thing open anyway?"

Marceline sighed. "You still don't get it, do you? Pinky's cage is on the BRIGHT and SUNNY side of this place. I can't go over there without my skin boiling up and frying like potatoes in a pan. That would be the part where things get hard."

"Oh," Finn replied. "Darn you're right! This is so not mathematical."

"Hey dude! Princess Bubblegum is getting kind of desperate to get out of her cage!" Jake called from across the day and night side of the grass.

"How do I open you're cage Marceline?" Finn asked.

"Oh gee, I don't know, maybe with this key," she replied, slipping her hand through the slit in the cage, handing Finn a silver key. "I would have unlocked it myself, but the lock is on the outside of this stupid thing." Quickly, Finn opened Marceline's cage, and she walked out, stretching out her long pale limbs. "Like I said, took you long enough," she yawned.

"How can we save Princess Bubblegum if you can't cross over into the sun?" Finn asked the vampire, "There has to be a way!"

"Perhaps if I give you something of mine that has my DNA, which is required to open her cage, you might be able to get it open," Marceline mused.

"Yeah, that's a great plan! Maybe you could give me a lock of hair or something," Finn agreed.

"No, that won't work, and not only that, there's no way in the Night-O-sphere I'd cut this mane of styling beauty. I need to give you something that'll stick to you long enough for you to climb over to her cage."

"Great idea!" Finn exclaimed, "Oh I know how about you give me a-" His sentence was cut short, when Marceline's cold lips pressed against his cheek. The twelve year old boy's eyes widened, his head spinning with questions like: _Why is she kissing me? Does she like me? Oh math I can't date an older woman, can I? Wait, dating? I'M ONLY TWELVE! Why is she kissing me? Her lips are cold. Should I kiss her back? Wait, kiss her back? I'M ONLY TWELVE! _

After a few seconds, Marceline pulled back, smirking when she saw Finn's face the color of a ripened tomato. "Now you've got a lipstick kiss mark. Go over to pinky's cage and press your cheek against it that should set her free."

"Uh…nuh…alright… yeah…. okay," Finn stammered awkwardly, walking off the plank of the cage, forgetting it was suspended in the air, and falling flat on his face on the ground. Now his face was even redder, if that was possible.

Marceline chuckled as she watched Finn embarrassingly walk across towards Princess Bubblegum's cage. _Heh, he's so cute. Wait, cute? I'M THE VAMPIRE QUEEN! _

**Author's Note:**

Heh heh, FxM is so cute XD I know I cut the chapter short before Princess Bubblegum was freed, but this was a good way to end the chapter so it could go into the other one. Only three or so chapters left! Oh, and check out my other FxM one-shot please! Thank you for reading and please review. ADVENTURE TIME! 


	13. Chapter 13

**Chapter Thirteen:**

Poor Finn was still recovering from his unexpected vampire smooch, as he crossed over from night into day, a puzzling look upon his face. He then remembered Ice King, Jake, Lady Rainicorn, LSP and Princess Bubblegum were on the other side. Suddenly the blood red colored kiss mark on his cheek matched his whole face. He was blushing.

"Oh ho, oh ho, oh ho-ho-ho-ho-ho-HO! What went down with you and the Queen man?" Jake asked his voice coy, sly, _and embarrassing_.

"No-nothing," Finn stammered, "I just freed her is all."

"Oh my lumps it looks like she kissed you!" LSP exclaimed. She took out her phone to take a picture. "I need this as proof to Melissa you're not available," she explained.

Before Finn argued she took the picture. "Delete that!" Finn yelled.

"Psh no way, this is so going to be my background pic," LSP replied.

"My background pic on my computer is of Gunter and I playing poker," Ice King stated randomly.

"I'M STILL LOCKED UP!" Princess Bubblegum cried.

"Coming Princess!" Finn exclaimed. He climbed up on her cage, remembering to press the kiss mark against her cage to unlock it. _For the love of stuff please let her not notice Marceline's kiss, _Finn thought. He pressed his cheek against the cage. There was a small _–click! – _sound, and the door opened, revealing a frustrated Princess Bubblegum. Why shouldn't she be frustrated? She was taken by a stranger and thrown into a cage!

"Finn!" she exclaimed, hugging the hero tightly. "I'm so glad you rescued me."

"Uh huh no problem Princess," Finn mumbled, blushing even redder to the fact she hugged him. First a kiss from Marceline and now an embrace from Princess Bubblegum? All in the same day? 'What the lumps?' as LSP would say.

"Bubblegum!" Lady Rainicorn exclaimed, flying up to the two, and hugging the princess. "I'm glad you're safe."

"Ah yes, I'm glad to see you're safe as well Lady," Bubblegum replied curtly. "Now we can all go home and forget this dreadful day, Finn would you please- HOLY CRUMPETS!"

Finn shifted awkwardly. _She noticed. _

"Who kissed you?" Bubblegum asked. "I mean, not that I care, I'm simply wondering… because… uh… the shade of lipstick is cute."

"Thanks pinky, it's blood red," Marceline called from across the grass.

_Sheesh she has great hearing, _Finn thought. "She needed to kiss me, cause… uh… I needed something of Marceline's to open the cage," he stammered nervously. "It's not because I like her, I mean, wait, I DO like her, but I like you too, not that I never liked you, I've always liked you, I like you both, ugh…"

Jake shook his head, seeing his bro stammer and stutter like an inexperienced twelve year old. Oh wait, he is an inexperienced twelve year old. "What my brother is trying to say," Jake cut in, interrupting Finn's hopelessly confusing train of thought, "Is that it's more fun to say salt n' peppa than simply salt and pepper."

**(A/N LOL!)**

Finn shot Jake a confused look. That was NOT what he was trying to say. However the human realized Jake was simply helping him from his embarrassing babble, and Finn nodded, agreeing. "Totally what I was referring too."

"Hey weenies, I found the flight to the fifth and final level. Let's get a move on!" Marceline called across the field. "Let's hurry up and pound this Magic Man!"

"Right!" Finn agreed encouragingly. He leaped on Jake's back, while Princess Bubblegum stepped upon Lady Rainicorn's, and they flew over to the night side of the grass, Marceline leading the way to the fifth level. "Do you think Magic Man is in the fifth level?" Finn asked the vampire.

She shrugged. "We'll find out. Magic Man is tricky, we don't know what to expect."

"Magic Man? He did this? He captured me?" Princess Bubblegum asked in disbelief. "We were lab partners together in my community science class!"

"Speaking of science, can I have some of your hair Princess? I'm starved," Jake said.

"What does that have to do with science?" Lady Rainicorn asked confusingly.

"Absolutely nothing!" Jake exclaimed.

"Sure you can Jake, how about you Lumpy Space Princess?" Bubblegum asked.

There was no answer.

"Lumpy Space Princess?" Princess Bubblegum asked again.

"LSP?" Finn called. He turned around. "LSP is gone!" he exclaimed.

"Ice King! That dirty poop must've kidnapped her and ran off!" Jake cried.

Marceline rolled her eyes. "Oh come on, like no one saw _that _coming."

"We need to go after her! Who knows what Ice King will try to do to her!" Princess Bubblegum exclaimed.

"Actually, I'm willing to bet five bucks that he'll take her back to his Ice Kingdom, put her in his cage, and talk her into becoming his bride," Jake said. "We can afford to wait until after the final trial."

"Maybe even get a bite to eat," Finn added.

"I know this great Kung Pow Chicken restaurant," Lady Rainicorn suggested.

Princess Bubblegum sighed. "Alright, if you think that's best."

"LSP can take care of herself," Finn said, trying to make the princess feel better. "Plus, if it was you he captured, I wouldn't rest until I saved you. It's part of my code of honor."

Marceline started laughing. "My code of honor!" she mocked. "You're such a softy."

Finn simply smiled, seeing past Marceline's insult. "The softest."

**Author's Note:**

I don't see Princess Bubblegum as the jealous type. Not of Finn and Marceline anyway. She might be incredulous to the couple, but I'll remind you Finn is still only a young boy. If any romance or such sprouted between him and Marceline, he'd have to be much older. Please review, and thank you for reading!


	14. Chapter 14

**Chapter Fourteen**

This was it. Everything that had happened in the past led up to this. Finn was going to face off against Magic Man. The young hero, his best friend Jake, Marceline the Vampire Queen, Lady Rainicorn, and Princess Bubblegum climbed the steps into the fifth level. Or at least, almost into the fifth level, right as they got to the top of the steps, a barrier of silver light blocked them.

"What do you think the barrier is for?" Lady Rainicorn asked curiously.

Princess Bubblegum studied it. "Hmm, I've seen this in my advanced science books. This is a barrier alright. Except, by the slight hum its creating I'm willing to bet that it will only accept certain people to walk through it, and will remain a block to those who cannot trespass."

"Care to translate to English, nerd?" Marceline huffed.

Bubblegum rolled her eyes. "The barrier will only let through whoever Magic Man intended to be let in." She crossed her arms. "And nerd is an offensive term, we prefer to be called bookworms."

"Well I'm almost positive I'm going to be allowed through," Finn said, "I mean, I'm the one he's challenging, and not even a barrier can hold back this adorable face." Finn smiled. "But what happens if someone who's not supposed to go through it tries to anyway?" he asked Princess Bubblegum.

"Oh, the molecular structure inside their DNA will collapse, and-"

"ENGLISH PLEASE!" Marceline exclaimed angrily.

Bubblegum rolled her eyes. "Dead. Whoever isn't supposed to go through will die."

"Lady, I don't want you to die, because you're my gf, and if you did die that'd suck in all, so can you please not go through the barrier and wait for Finn and I?" Jake asked. Lady Rainicorn nodded, smiled, and wrapped her arms around him, leaning in for a smooch. "Not in front of the boy and his potential lovers!" Jake exclaimed.

Marceline, Finn and Princess Bubblegum eyed Jake with an awkward face.

"I mean… not in front of the _soy _and its credential _mothers_," Jake corrected.

"That makes absolutely no sense!" Princess Bubblegum exclaimed.

"Doesn't matter, I love you Jakey!" Lady Rainicorn cooed. "And you shouldn't be by yourself Princess, please wait with me?"

"Oh alright," the princess replied.

Marceline turned to Finn and Jake and smirked. "Well weenies, this leaves us. Ready to step inside and see what challenges lie ahead of us?"

"You're sure we won't die?" Finn asked Bubblegum. "Is there any way to check?"

"Afraid not," Princess Bubblegum answered solemnly.

"Then that means we could die!" Jake shrieked.

"That's a chance I'm willing to take!" Marceline exclaimed. She grabbed Finn and Jake, then leaped head first through the barrier, all three of them disappearing inside!

__

"Oomph!"

The three landed on their backs, but that didn't even bother them, for they were alive. "We made it!" Finn cheered, fist pumping Jake.

"Uh, Finn?" Marceline asked.

He didn't hear her. "That was so awesome!" he exclaimed.

"Finn?"

The young hero began to jump up and down! "That was even more radical than that time we went penguin sliding! What a rush! That was so math-"

"FINN!" Marceline yelled. She grabbed the young hero's shoulders, turning him around. His eyes grew wide. In front of the three, was a large, hairy, menacing _spider_, that had eight long legs, red beady eyes, and large fangs jutting from his mouth. He was easily two stories high, and as long and thick as a boat. "Try and step on that sucker," Marceline whispered.

Finn exchanged a look with Jake. Silently, they both decided the best way to deal with a giant spider. Take it head on. So, taking out his slightly rusted, trusted, and golden sword, Finn raised it over his head to prepare for battle. "Let's do this!" he proclaimed.

The three went running towards the spider, head on.

**~X~X~X~**

With a swift kick to one of the spider's many eyes, Finn back flipped through the air, landing on his feet. He kicked as hard as he could, but the spider seemed unaffected. However it wasn't just Finn the spider had to worry about, for while Finn delivered the kick Jake had also enlarged himself and punched one of his legs, while Marceline flew up and attacked his middle back. Yes, it was three against one, but the spider not only had tough skin, but he had defenses of his own; defenses such as _web_.

"Whoa!" Jake exclaimed, shrinking to avoid a spinning web flying his way. "Watch out for web dude!" he called.

"Right!" Finn agreed, clutching his sword and swiping at the spider's leg. His sword was like a toothpick against the spider's tough skin.

"Yo, hero! Hit the face! It's the only chance we've got!" Marceline called. She flew towards the spider's head, shoving a karate chop into another one of its eyes. She was glad she made up with her dad, at least enough for him to teach her the karate chops. _Things would be much simpler if I had my axe bass_, the vampire thought glumly. It was true that Marceline could suck the blood from the spider, but not only was he too huge for her, but he wouldn't stay still long enough for her to make an impression upon him. She was left with nothing but her knowledge of combat.

Finn propelled off of Jake's soft belly, flying through the air with his sword tip pointed, and he managed to stick his sword fully into the spider! The arachnid howled, and Finn slid down his neck, making sure his sword slid down with him. Blood dripped down from his sword to the handle, and Finn lost his grip, landing awkwardly on his hip. He grunted, and as soon as the spider saw he had fallen he turned around, aiming his… um… web slinging thorax towards Finn.

Marceline wiped a bead of sweat from her forehead and noticed this. Finn landed a long way, and couldn't move fast enough to avoid the web! She was faster than the web, she knew it! With inhumane strength, Marceline pushed Finn out of the way of the web, however, by doing so that also meant she was entangled up inside the sticky white substance. Marceline was immediately made into a mummy, the web over every inch of her.

"No!" Finn cried. He started to run towards Marceline, but as he did, the spider leaned down and bit into his web-ified prey, and he saw Marceline get bit down by the spider. "NO!" he screamed. Suddenly Jake was the size of the spider, and pushed him down on his back. Marceline was still in the spider's mouth. Finn ran and leaped inside the mouth of the beast, grabbing the vampire, and quickly leaping out. "Finish the spider off!" he called to Jake.

Jake nodded, knowing quite well that Marceline was Finn's first priority at the moment. It was okay, he could take the spider out no problem, now that he had enough energy to make himself the same size of it.

"Come on, come on, Marceline are you okay?" Finn demanded, holding the vampire in his arms. Setting her down gently, he used all of his strength to tear open the web, and after a few desperate claws he finally found her pale face. Her eyes were closed, and she looked unconscious. Or worse. "Come on, say something Marceline," Finn whispered.

Not only was Marceline entangled in a web, but she suffered a fatal bite from the spider.

"You can't die on me," the twelve year old boy murmured sadly. "For one thing, you're already dead." He smiled, just slightly, because Marceline was the most alive person he knew. Her face remained still. "Look," he whispered. "You're really important to me. I love every moment I spend with you, because you make me laugh, I make you laugh, and we fit together. And… you just can't give up on me, Marceline. I need you. I need you, Jake, Princess Bubblegum, Lady Rainicorn, I need all of you there for me. I want you to be here, even when I'm older. Please. Don't go. Stay. Stay for me. Stay… for me… and I'll stay for you."

Hesitantly, Finn leaned down, and pressed his forehead against her cold one. He could feel her soft ebony hair. And then, he felt breath against his nose, and his eyes opened, and he saw her onyx gaze staring straight at him. "Hey weenie," Marceline breathed weakly. Finn was too overjoyed to hear her voice. So overjoyed, that he stopped thinking and out of pure reaction, or at least that was what he decided to be pure reaction, pressed his lips to hers.

**Author's Note:**

I know what you're thinking. CLIFFHANGER! I'm sorry. It's part of what makes fanfiction fun, you leave cliffhangers and receive cliffhangers. But guess what? If you review, I'll update! Lol! Okay, I'll update anyway. But I'd appreciate a review! I'd like to know how y'all like my work!

Alright, mathematical. ~Luna


	15. Chapter 15

**Chapter Fifteen:**

Marceline was too tired when she first regained consciousness from the spider's attack. She did remember when Finn tore up the spider web around her, and when she looked into the twelve year olds eyes, she remembered whispering, "Hey weenie."

But the next part she remembered very WELL. Finn leaned down, and she felt a pair of soft lips touch hers. Marceline's eyes widened. Was Finn, the adventuring dog loving FINN kissing HER? She remained frozen. But then Finn eased back, taking his warm pair off of her freezing lips.

That was just Marceline's side of the kiss.

All Finn could remember, was Marceline almost flipping dying, and he was holding her, and she suddenly woke up… then… he… kissed her. Finn's brows furrowed. Wait, why did he do that? There must be a reason why he did that. Jake warned him weird stuff would happen, something called… oh what was it… oh yes, PUBERTY!

Was _puberty _what made Finn kiss her? The two stared at each other blankly. Their faces were still close together. Marceline's face was unreadable, and Finn's was bright red like a beet. Then, the embarrassing part came.

"I DEFEATED THE SPIDER!" Jake announced, hopping to the two.

"AH!" Finn and Marceline exclaimed at the same time, jumping apart from each other.

"Hey guys what happened?" Jake asked. "Finn, you look like you saw a ghost. Man, we already met three ghosts, there's no reason to be afraid of them. So what's going on dude?"

Finn opened his mouth, but the only thing that came out was, "Uhhh." He turned his head to Marceline, "Uhhh…"

"Uhhh…" she replied, just as awkwardly.

"Uhhh…."

"Uhhh…"

"We…"

"Uhhh…"

"We were just…"

"Just uh…"

"WHAT?" Jake demanded.

"PUBERTY!" Finn then screamed.

"Puberty?" Marceline and Jake asked at the same time. They didn't expect _that _answer!

"I mean geometry!" Finn cried.

"Geometry?" both the vampire and dog asked.

"LEAVE ME ALONE!" Finn screamed, running off towards the spider's dead body. _I hope I never go through that humiliation again! Jeez, what was I thinking, kissing Marceline? Gah! I wasn't thinking I was just happy she was alive. Well, wait, she's already dead, but I was glad she wasn't dead __dead__. _

"Well, well, well Finn the Human," came an all too familiar voice. Finn looked up, but for once was slightly relieved Magic Man had approached him. Now Magic Man can take his mind off of this cursed 'puberty' and adolescence problems! Hopefully. He better have something good in store.

"Yeah, yeah let's hear what you've got Magic Man," Finn said.

He raised a brow. "Why in such a hurry human?"

"None of your cheese! Just lay it on me, did I complete my trial or not?"

"Nope, all you've done is kill my pet spider Michelangelo Riviera Torres."

_Note to self, write that down as weirdest spider name you've ever heard, _Finn thought. "I thought killing your spider was part of my trial," Finn replied defensively.

"Yes, it was. However, do you think that's fair to my spider? Raised from a small egg, learning and succeeding in grammar school, high school, getting his GED, and now he has been killed, simply as a step in a trial for a human."

"He was YOUR spider and these trials were YOUR idea!"

"So it was, so it was." Magic Man laughed. "Don't worry, I have like four more spiders who've gotten their GED."

"I don't care about how smart your spiders are! I want to go home, I want to finish these trials, and I want to kick your buns! So lay it on me Magic Man, what's my next move?" Finn interrogated with his voice loud.

Marceline and Jake stepped up behind him, but remained silent.

"Your next move?" Magic Man asked. He laughed. "You tell me." Then, taking a small violet magic vial, he popped the black cap, and gulped down the strange concoction. Suddenly Magic Man doubled in size, tripled rather, no, perhaps QUADRUPLED in size! He was no twice the size of the spider, in fact, his size made the spider look quite normal. So he was pretty huge, and creeping Jake the math out!

"Dude! Please tell me we don't have to fight him!" Jake exclaimed, the three of them in the shadow of Magic Man. "I can't even get that large! I'm not strong enough!"

"Defeat me, and you'll pass your trial," Magic Man laughed. "And perhaps learn the true meaning of being a hero."

"If this was all to learn the true meaning of a hero, I would've just looked it up on the dictionary!" Finn yelled. He sighed. "Alright Jake, Marceline, you guys don't have to fight with me. Cause, I have no idea how we're not going to not die."

"Hey, let's not forget our roles here: Jake is the energetic and life experienced weenie, you're the encouraged and spunky human, and I'M the hardcore rocker vampire that doesn't let a stupid Magic Man get in her way. And since I'm stuck with you two, you're both going to help me fight! Or so help me, I'm having HUMAN AND DOG FOR DINNER!" Marceline hissed, contorting her face to look menacing.

"OKAY OKAY!" Jake screamed.

"Fine, fine!" Finn screamed as well.

Marceline smirked. "Knew you boys would see it my way. NOW GO FIGHT MAGIC MAN!" she yelled. Jake immediately ran off. Before Finn did, he turned to Marceline.

"Thanks," he mumbled.

She kept her smirk. "Just don't expect a smooch if you fall unconscious."

**Author's Note:**

This was really just a filler chapter. Thanks for all the review, and thank you ahead of time for the reviews (hopefully) I'll get. Whoo hoo! :D


	16. Chapter 16

**Chapter Sixteen:**

_I swear, if I survive this, I'm never going to play with fireworks again, _Finn thought as he avoided a neon green burst of magic. Naturally, Magic Man's defense mechanisms were bursts of colorful magic blasts. If the blasts hit Finn, Jake or Marceline, not only would they grow weaker, but they would turn into random animals, objects, or simply become stunned and unable to move. Jake would know, he had already been turned into a cow, a carrot, a piece of bread, and a two headed duck.

However, the three knew that they had to defeat Magic Man to complete the final trial. But Finn knew that he had to be the one to do it. He had to defeat Magic Man, even if Marceline and Jake just simply helped. This was his trial after all. It wouldn't be right if he wasn't the one to do it. But this was Finn and Jake we're talking about… even if it was serious, they could still have fun right? That was what Finn desperately wanted; FUN.

"YEEEE-AAAA-HHHHH!" the twelve year old laughed as he flew through the air with immense speed. "Take this Magic Man!" he exclaimed. Marceline let go of his backpack, and she let him drop through the air. Finn flipped over and stabbed Magic Man with his sword.

"Foolish human! You really think that hurt me?" Magic Man taunted. He was the size of the Candy Kingdom after all; which was pretty flipping big. "That barely felt like a scratch!"

"Take this!" Jake then exclaimed. The dog body slammed against Magic Man, making him lose his balance and fall over. Because he was so large, a loud **BOOM **was made when he hit the floor. "Ha! Take that!" Jake laughed. He started dancing happily. Magic Man rolled his eyes at the magical dog's lack of focus in battle. He threw a red magic blast at him.

_Poof! _

"Ah man! You turned me into a hot dog!" Jake exclaimed.

"Whatever you do, don't eat yourself," Marceline said kiddingly. The vampire flew towards Magic Man, and started kicking and punching his throat area. He only laughed at her futile attempt, and she grimaced at herself. "I'm the freaking _Vampire Queen! _I've got to do better than this!" she hissed to herself. Her eyes widened with an idea.

Finn was busy dodging magic blasts, jumping right and left as fast as he could. "Jake! Marceline said not to eat yourself!" Finn cried.

"But Fiiiiiiin! I taste really good! And you know how much I love hot dogs!" Jake whined. A cloud of purple smoke then erupted around the dog, and suddenly Jake was back to his normal dog self, chewing his own arm. "Math, that was a good hot dog," he growled.

Finn looked up high to see Magic Man's attention was distracted by Marceline. _This is our chance! _"Dude, I've got an idea!" Finn exclaimed, "Come on, follow me, we don't have much time!" Quickly the two ran to Magic Man's feet, and Jake constricted himself around Magic Man's boots, as if two shoe laces were tied together. "Great! Stay like that!" Finn said.

"This is going to be good," Jake snickered to himself quietly. Magic Man didn't even notice him around his two legs.

"I hope this works," Finn mumbled to himself. He started running as fast as he could towards Magic Man, and then with a propel off a rock, sent himself flying through the air! He landed on Magic Man's stomach, but not with near enough force he wanted to. Unfortunately, his blow to the belly brought Magic Man's attention _off _of Marceline, and _on _to Finn.

~X~X~X~

More magic blasts began to erupt, and Finn found himself on the run again from those dangerous blasts! With a sigh, Marceline flew down to Finn, going right beside him. "Just what are you trying to do?" she demanded.

"See where Jake is? We need to push Magic Man over! I was trying to trip him!" Finn answered while he ran. Marceline looked over her shoulder and saw how Magic Man was oblivious to Jake tied around his two legs. She grinned.

"Leave that to me."

"How are you going to trip him?"

"Don't worry about that weenie." Marceline stopped flying next to Finn, and abruptly paused, turning around. Her eyes fluttered to the back of her head, her fangs jutted out even more, and her body began to get larger and larger. Before Finn's eyes she grew to her full size of a bat; she looked the same way she did when he first fought her, in the cave when he and Jake threw the house party.

Now in her bat form, Marceline was half the size of Magic Man. Half was all she needed. "Ha! You still think you have enough power to defeat me?" Magic Man asked.

Marceline laughed. "You know, you and I have a lot in common Magic Man. We both like to pick on weaker creatures, play pranks, and cause trouble. But you know the difference between you and me is?" She lunged forward, pushing Magic Man backwards! "I don't have a dog tied around my legs!"

Losing his balance, Magic Man tried swinging his arms quickly to catch himself, but he was caught off guard and he fell backwards.

**BOOM! **

This time was fatal. Slowly the magic-doer began to shrink down to his normal size. Jake unwrapped himself around him, and rejoined Finn and Marceline. "That was math!" he exclaimed.

Magic Man got smaller and smaller until he was his normal human size. "No! No!" he cried.

"Yes," Finn grinned. "Now you and I can fight; man to man."

There was an undeniable crazy rage inside Magic Man's eyes. "No," he chortled insanely, "Not man to man! Magic to human! And I think we all know who will win!" With snake like precision, Magic Man jumped out at Finn like a hunter to its prey. He was able to land a punch in the young hero's face before Finn took out his sword and counter attacked! There was something inside Magic Man that had snapped; Marceline could see it inside his eyes. The vampire then knew that something more had to be done. Something more _needed _to be done. She wasn't lying when she said her and Magic Man were the same; and she knew Magic Man would cheat. She needed to help Finn.

"Jake! Come with me!" the vampire ordered, grabbing the dog by the tail.

"Hey! Finn needs help!" Jake barked.

"We are going to help him. But you need to come with me!" Marceline ordered.

"No way!"

"_Jake. _Put your fear of me aside for a minute and help your best friend."

Jake stared into Marceline's eyes. She wasn't playing with him. She was serious. He was absolutely terrified of her but if it was to help Finn… "For my brother," Jake sighed dramatically.

"Good. Let's go!"

Marceline and Jake ran through the forest trees and bushes. "Where are we going?" Jake asked.

"To the graveyard," she answered.

"But we're in Magic Man's world. This place isn't real."

"That's what he wants you to think. He wants us to believe that where we are is an illusion, but we're really in the Forest of Ooo. And we need to hurry before that fight gets ugly," Marceline said. Within a few minutes the two reached the graveyard, with hundreds of tombstones surrounding them. "Stay behind me," Marceline said.

"Okay," Jake agreed, not wanting to argue with a vampire in a graveyard.

She nodded and lifted her hands above her head. "I address the dead who live in darkness and black, this is your Vampire Queen commanding you to come back! Raise yourself from your grave, and no longer will you be my slave! Return your debt to me, help me fight! And in return, you may rest for eternity's night!"

Jake began to shiver and shake when bony hands carrying long and sharp swords began to pop out of the ground! "What did you do?" he demanded.

"I got Finn and army," Marceline answered simply. A skeleton a few feet away popped from the ground. "Hey Phil. How's life?"

"How would I know, I'm not living it," the skeleton shrugged casually.

~X~X~X~

Finn dodged another rapid blow from Magic Man, and swung his sword to hit him! His sharp blade collided with his arm, and not a scratch was made on him! "That's impossible! You're not wearing armor!" Finn cried.

"Magic is my armor stupid human boy," Magic Man said. He kicked Finn in the gut, making the hero fall to his knees and drop his sword. Magic Man picked up Finn's sword, and broke it in half with a simple snap.

"Hey! That was a birthday present from B-MO!" Finn yelled.

Magic Man laughed. He lunged after Finn! Quickly Finn kicked him, sending him back, and the hero created distance between the two. "What's it going to take human?" Magic Man asked, closing in for a punch. He hit Finn in the jaw, and kicked him again.

Finn coughed, blood coming out of his mouth, but tripped Magic Man, making space between the two again. "What's what going to take?" he asked.

"What's it going to take to break you? To make you give up? I've tried hurting you, your friends, the ones you care for! When are you going to give up?"

"Give up what? What are you talking about?" Finn demanded. Another punch to his face, and the hero staggered back, falling over on his side. He stared up as Magic Man towered over him.

"Give up being a hero," Magic Man then said.

Finn angrily furrowed his brow. He stood up, facing Magic Man dead on. "_Nothing _will make me give up being a hero!" he yelled. "As long as there's evil, or danger, or anyone on Ooo in distress I will be there, and I will help them. And you Magic Man, _you're _evil! Because of that… I WILL DESTROY YOU!"

In a fit of maniacal laughter, Magic Man fell to his knees, unable to contain his insane laugh. "Not if I destroy you first."

And with that, he snapped his fingers, and hundreds of thousands of dummies appeared in a burst of smoke. They were human sized, with blank faces, arms and legs, and all determined to kill Finn.

Finn's jaw dropped. "Great, how am I going to win now?"

"Hey weenie! Behind you!" came a voice.

Finn turned around and saw Marceline and Jake, with skeletons behind them. "Holy schmaow! What did you two do?" Finn demanded.

"Raised an evil army of the undead. No big deal," Marceline answered.

Finn grinned and turned towards Magic Man. "BRING IT ON!"

**Author's Note **

Sorry for not updating for three weeks. Things got hectic and busy. But to make it up to you mathematical readers, I made this a long chapter. So please review and thank you for reading! I'm sorry again for the long wait.


	17. Chapter 17

**Chapter Seventeen:**

This was the final battle of awesomeness. Magic Man and his army of dummies vs. Finn and Jake + the army of skeletons Marceline raised from the dead. Despite the fact that Finn had his buns kicked the past few days, he was determined to win. He wasn't going to lose. He couldn't lose. _My army is already dead, it's not like they can die, _he thought.

And so, taking the first strike, Finn took a sword and swiped out at Magic Man! "You stole my sword!" cried a skeleton.

"Shut up Phil," Marceline remarked. The vampire gracefully jumped out, punching and kicking numerous animated dummies, who punched and kicked right back. For a dummy they had pretty good reflexes, but were no match against Marceline. The only issue? _There were so many of them_.

"YAAAAHHHH!" Jake cried, lashing out into the battle as well. He morphed his size, striking and punching dummies left and right. "How'd you like my battle cry Finn? I've been practicing!" the dog asked while shoving a dummy into the dirt.

"That was great!" Finn replied, while dodging a swipe from Magic Man, making the villain lose stepping and get a face full of dirt. "Ha! Not so talented with your moves, are ya Magic Man?" Finn laughed.

"Argh! Don't be so confident _human!_" Magic Man yelled. He got back up and tried to swipe Finn more with his sword. The twelve year old hero laughed as he literally pranced away, maneuvering through skeletons and dummies. "HOLD STILL!" Magic Man hissed.

"Sorry old man," Finn winked. "I'm young and hip, I don't have to listen to you." His eyes widened. _That's it! That's how I can defeat Magic Man! I may not be able to fight him, but I can out dance him! Out dance him… fight him… I've got to be able to do both! _Finn's thoughts were cut short when Magic Man's sword collided with his, almost getting cut in the process. They struggled backwards, until Magic Man kicked the hero and sent him back on his knees. Quickly Finn stood up and dodged a sword slash, running through the crowds of the battlefield, his opponent chasing him endlessly. "Marceline!" Finn cried. "I need you to get your axe bass!"

"PFFT! Right, I would but it's back at my house at the cave. There's no way I can ditch this fight and fly to get it, that would take too long!" Marceline exclaimed. The Vampire Queen thought for a moment. "Unless…"

"Unless you believe in the power of friendship and that good can overcome evil if we truly understand?" Jake asked, interrupting.

"NO! Unless I can summon my axe bass to me," Marceline answered. "And what the flip Jake, when did you become poetic?"

The magical dog shrugged. "When Lady Rainicorn and I started attending art class I guess."

"You're such a weenie." Marceline thought hard. There had to be a way she could summon her axe bass to her. It would take serious mental focus, but if she got her bass she could kick some _serious_ butt. "Okay!" she exclaimed to herself, clapping her hands together. Her eyes closed, and Marceline chanted, "By the blood that flows through my dead veins I command my belongs to come through, I command my axe bass to obey me, and to appear in my hand!"

She grunted as she focused on her vampire power, but suddenly her grip slackened, and suddenly between her fingers were-

"Your axe bass!" Finn shouted gleefully.

"Cool, can you summon a sandwich?" Jake asked.

"NO! Now stand back everybody! Things are about to get dangerous!" Marceline laughed deviously, as she flew up in the air and held her axe bass. Rapidly there was a loud boom of hardcore rock and roll music that erupted through the air. The harder she played the louder the music got, and black power rays started to come out of the end of her bass.

"Keep it up!" Finn encouraged. The dummies seemed distracted by her music, and the skeletons easily took them out with their swords. Jake got that overpowering urge to party, and he started dancing around the battleground. Because Jake was enlarged, he stepped on dummies as he danced, the skeletons careful not to get crushed.

"My army!" Magic Man shouted. He growled and lunged at Finn sword in hand. "YOU'RE DEAD HUMAN BOY!"

His sword was able to slash Finn's stomach. Immediately blood began to gush out of the twelve year olds fresh wound, but Finn managed to keep standing, keep moving, anything to dodge Magic Man's raging attacks. The young hero saw an opportunity, and while Magic Man had his arm in the air ready to strike, the twelve year old punched him in the ribs and followed up with a side kick! Magic Man dropped his sword from being kicked, and quickly Finn leaped through the air and caught his sword!

Despite the overwhelming pain in his gut, Finn found the strength to hold the sword out! "No Magic Man! _You're _dead!"

And with that, Finn drove the sword through Magic Man's chest.

_Silence. _

Everyone's head turned to Finn and Magic Man. His eyes lost its shimmer, and Magic Man fell to his knees, a face of shock on his face. He was stunned. "Y-you h-hit m-me," he stammered, his voice hoarse.

"Game over Magic Man. I win."

A smile crept on Magic Man's face. "B-beat b-by a h-hu-m-man. H-how pa-pathetic." His eyes were piercing through to Finn's. "You did it human. You completed your final trial."

Abruptly Finn felt a tingling sensation come over him! He felt his hands, his feet, his head, his whole body quiver and shake! "What's happening!" Finn cried. "I won! I won! What's going on?"

Magic Man's body started to evaporate. Finn was evaporating along with him.

And then…

_**Darkness. **_

"Finn? Finn? Oh come on Finn please wake up."

"Don't be so gentle. Shake him or something." A pair of cold hands touched the young hero's shoulder. "Yo, weenie! Wake up! Or I'll take a marker and draw on your face."

Eyes opened, and Finn saw Marceline and Princess Bubblegum sitting over him. He groaned. "What happened?"

"We're free Finn. We're home just outside the Candy Kingdom," Princess Bubblegum answered. She gently propped Finn up against a tree, and he saw Jake and Lady Rainicorn sitting on a log a few yards off.

"Is it… over?" the young boy asked.

"Yes, it's all over and done with. You did it," Bubblegum smiled.

"Are you serious? If anything I did all the work. I raised the dead for tuna's sake," Marceline grumbled. "But whatever, you're okay Finn."

"Where is Magic Man?"

"BEHIND YOU!"

"AAAAAAAAHHHHHHH!" Finn shrieked, literally jumping up twenty feet in the air.

A maniacal laugh came from behind the tree, and out stepped Magic Man. "Hello Finn," he greeted.

"I THOUGHT I KILLED YOU! WHY WON'T YOU DIE?" Finn screamed.

"Is it me, or does he sound like a girl?" Marceline asked.

"He sounds like a girl," Bubblegum answered, "But he's cute."

Finn ignored the two girls. "Just what is going on here?" he demanded.

"Oh yes, I suppose you have ill will towards me after what has happened over the course of the past few days," Magic Man sighed. "You see young hero, I am many things. I am magic, of course, I'm a great chef, I'm excellent at air hockey, I'm a pretty decent singer, I'm…-"

"Boring," Marceline huffed.

"No," Magic Man corrected. "I'm an actor."

"Actor?" Finn asked.

"That's right young hero. Ever since the trials started I have been acting. You see, it was my test to see just how far you'd go to do what's right. I wanted to see how far I could push you, how far I could test you, how long until I could break you, and if you had the courage and the strength to keep on fighting."

"What? Why?" Finn demanded. "Why would you purposely put me through that?"

Magic Man smiled. It was sincere, and had no trickery to it whatsoever. "To make a hero out of you."

Finn's eyes widened. "A… hero?"

"Finn the Human, you are now a hero. You have proven yourself to be one, that you not only have the valor, the wits, the strength- you have the honor of a true hero. That was the true point of the trials Finn. To see if I could make a hero out of you… to make you a true… **adventurer**."

Turning his head, Finn saw the look of pride in the eyes of Jake, Lady Rainicorn, Princess Bubblegum, and even Marceline, though the vampire tried not to show it, she was proud of him. Everyone was. And suddenly, Finn felt the well deserved sense of pride swell over him. He was a hero. He knew it down deep in his gut. "Thank you," Finn murmured. He understood now. Magic Man wasn't really evil, just incredibly sneaky, but all for good reasons at the root of it.

"Here Finn, take this." Magic Man tossed an object through the air, and Finn caught a golden sword in his hand. It was longer than his other one, sharper, and lighter so it was easier to wield. Imprinted on the front were the handwritten words; _Adventure Time_.

"Thank you Magic Man… I don't hate you anymore," Finn stammered. He smiled. "You put me through some messed up junk, but I appreciate it. Thanks."

"I must leave now. I may have done you a favor, but I'm still a jerk to other unsuspecting creatures. Fare well Finn." Magic Man walked past Marceline. He reached a hand out and brushed her bare shoulder. "One day we can cause chaos together perhaps," he smiled.

"Let's not forget I'm the Vampire Queen. I don't need a partner in crime," Marceline smirked. She took his hand off her shoulder. "Goodbye." And then, Magic Man winked and was gone.

"So…" said Jake, walking over. "Cool sword Finn."

"Yeah it's tight," he smiled.

"Let's all celebrate and have spaghetti in the Candy Kingdom!" Princess Bubblegum exclaimed.

"Yeah!" everyone cheered. They started walking to the entrance where Peppermint Butler awaited.

"Hey wait… anybody think we forgot something?" Lady Rainicorn asked.

Finn's eyes widened. "LUMPY SPACE PRINCESS IS STILL CAPTURED BY THE ICE KING!"

…

…

…

"I want a salad with my spaghetti," Jake said.

"Ooh and a glass of blood," Marceline smirked.

They still continued to the Candy Kingdom kitchen. _LSP can wait after dinner, _Finn thought.

**Author's Note:**

**Well my mathematical readers, this was the last chapter of Magic Trials. There will be one more chapter after this one, think of it as an epilogue, that will come out next week. Thank you for all the reviews and the helpful advice/comments along the way. I'm sad to end this, but hopefully this isn't my last AT story! The next chapter will be the last. Please review, and thank you for reading :D **


	18. Chapter 18

**Chapter Eighteen:**

_**Three weeks later…**_

"Yeah! Come on Jake! We're going to be late for the dance party in the Cloud Kingdom!" Finn exclaimed excitedly. The now thirteen year old boy ran outside of his tree house, his back pack slung over his left shoulder and his special sword in his right hand. "Jake we don't want to be late. Remember last night we showed up late? We had to be in the bottom of the dog pile!"

"You're being dramatic man, getting dog piled on by clouds isn't a big deal," came the reply from inside the tree house. The magical dog stepped outside on the porch, holding up two multi colored ties. One was purple with green polka dots, the other was white with blue milk bones. "Which one says party animal?" Jake asked.

"Definitely the milk bone one dude."

"Mathematical. That's the one Lady Rainicorn bought me." Jake tossed the purple and green polka dot tie behind him and put on the other one. "Alright man, almost ready just have to put on cologne."

"Cologne? Are you kidding me? This is a party dude!"

"Hey when I'm shaking my stuff to the ladies I don't want to smell like… a… like… smell like a…"

"Dog?"

"YES!"

Finn's face contorted into a confused look. "Then what will you smell like?"

Jake took out a spray bottle, spraying under his arms. "Peaches and cream brother," he winked.

"Whatever man, I'm going to go in the forest come find me when you're done," Finn said. He started to walk off into the forest close to their house.

Eyes watched the thirteen year old boy enter the dark and silent forest. From above, the eyes followed his movements, intently watching everything the boy did. Finn paused. Was he being watched? He felt a strange feeling come over him.

"You may think that you're invisible…" Finn said into the forest dramatically, "BUT YOU CAN'T HIDE FROM THE FINN-BOMB!"

He turned around, sword in hand, ready to strike what he thought was behind him. His eyes widened- it was a butterfly. "Are you trying to kill me?" the butterfly demanded.

"Oh, uh, sorry I thought you were someone trying to kill me," Finn apologized, blushing from embarrassment.

"Well now I have a reason to kill you for almost killing me! You better sleep with one eye open bub, I may be a mere butterfly, but I have CONNECTIONS." The butterfly fluttered off, leaving Finn slightly confused on what connections a mere butterfly could have.

The hero shrugged, thinking that no one was watching him any longer. Until…

"Well, well, well my little weenie is still getting himself into trouble," laughed a voice. Finn looked up—there on a tree branch was Marceline the Vampire Queen. She had one leg crossed over the other, wearing a flowing black dress to match her flowing black hair, and holding a red umbrella to shield the remaining sunshine coming through the tops of the trees. "Hey Finn. Miss me?"

"Marceline!" he exclaimed. "Where have you been? I haven't seen you in three weeks!"

"Oh I've been here and there, and there and here, no need to get so excited weenie." Marceline laughed. "Plus three weeks doesn't mean much when you're immortal."

By now Finn was climbing up the tree, and waited until he was sitting on the same branch as her until he replied. "Well I'm not immortal, three weeks means a lot. I'm thirteen now you know."

"Ooh, you're a teenager," Marceline laughed. "Well lemme tell ya kid, life is going to get a lot harder from now on."

"How old are you?"

"Finn! You should _know_ not to ask a woman her age, it's not polite." Another round of laughter escaped the vampire. "I'm well over a thousand years old in vampire years," she mused. "But when I was human so long ago, I was sixteen when I stopped aging. But human life was boring. I always got caught when I pulled pranks."

Pranks. That word automatically made think of—"Have you seen Magic Man?" Finn questioned.

Whatever humor was in Marceline's voice left when Finn mentioned that name. "No," she said. "He's not going to be back for a looooong while."

Finn noticed the uncertainty in her voice. "Is something wrong?"

"No."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes."

"Positive?"

"Absolutely."

"Really?"

"Yes! Jeez what's your problem?"

"My problem is I think you have a problem."

Marceline sighed. "There's uh… something I've been wanting to tell you since the whole Trials thing started all that time ago."

"Oh? What is it?"

Before answering, Marceline turned her head and looked into Finn's wondering eyes. "Don't hate me," she whispered. "I used to think that if everyone in Ooo hated me that it'd be no big deal. But if you hated me, I think it'd hurt."

"What?" he whispered back. "What is it?"

"Finn… I knew about the trials the whole time."

His eyes widened. "You were in on it?"

"No, I just knew that Magic Man was going to put you through challenges. I didn't know what they were going to be, or that Magic Man would go psycho at the last trial."

"Then why did you say don't hate me?"

"I should have told you Finn. I tried, but I got interrupted or Magic Man stopped me. I didn't tell you, and that makes me a…"

"What?"

"… a bad friend."

And as soon as Marceline finished that sentence Finn saw something inside of her that he had never seen before. He saw that Marceline deeply cared for him (and probably Jake) and although she calls him a weenie, plays jokes on him, acts like he's nothing to her, he really was something to her. Not something, everything. He was her friend. She tried to show that it wasn't a big deal, but it was. And then Finn realized the bond between him and Marceline. It wasn't the same bond he shared with Jake, but it was just as strong with the vampire.

So with a small smile, Finn leaned in and wrapped his arms around Marceline, burying his face into her neck, where he felt the two bite marks against his nose. She gasped when he hugged her, she didn't expect it, but allowed him to do so. Hesitantly, she eventually wrapped her arms around him, returning his hug. "You're important to me Marceline," Finn murmured, "And nothing you do will change that."

His words touched the vampire. "Thank you, Finn," she said.

The two sat there in silence, his face in her neck, and her head resting on the top of his head. But all good things had to come to an end at some point.

"Finn! Dude! Where are you? I'm ready to party now!" Jake called from the house.

"You should go," Marceline said. "Do those party moves I showed you on the dance floor."

"I forgot them," Finn smiled, hinting at something.

She caught his hint. "Well maybe I'll go with you and show you how it's done."

**Author's Note:**

**I just want to say thank you to all my readers, thank you so much! I'm so thankful you all stayed faithful and liked my story. I hope you like this last chapter as well! My goal is to get 100 reviews on this story. I'm only 8 reviews off! So close! XD **

**For the final time I will ask you to please review, and to sound redundant I'll say thank you for reading :D **

**~Luna **


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